Kushiro Sotokan Road Explained

Country:JPN
Type:National
Maint:Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Kushiro Sotokan Road
Alternate Name:
Marker Image:
Length Km:17.3
Established:2016
Direction A:West
Terminus A:Kushiro-nishi Interchange
Hokkaido Route 148 in Kushiro
Direction B:East
Terminus B:Kushirobeppo Interchange
in Kushiro

The is a two-lane national expressway in Kushiro Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. As of July 2019, it connects the city Kushiro to the adjacent town that bears the same name. It is owned and operated by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and is signed as E38 and E44 under their "2016 Proposal for Realization of Expressway Numbering."[1]

Route description

The Kushiro Sotokan Road was built to reduce congestion along National Routes 38 and 44 through Kushiro and to build part of the larger with plans to link it to the Dōtō Expressway.

The route has a total length of 16.8km (10.4miles). Variable-message signs indicate the speed limit along the road, but the standard limit is 100 km/h.[2]

History

Kushiro Sotokan Road was opened in two stages. The first and largest stage was the construction of the road between Kushiro-nishi Interchange and Kushiro-higashi interchange. It was completed on 12 March 2016. The second stage extended the road east to its current eastern terminus at Kushirobeppo Interchange. This stage was completed on 9 March 2019.[3]

Junction list

The entire expressway is in Kushiro Subprefecture, Hokkaido. Distance markers reflect the distance traveled along the Dōtō Expressway from its terminus at Chitose-Eniwa Junction with the Hokkaido Expressway. |colspan="8" style="text-align: center;"|Through to (under construction)|colspan="8" style="text-align: center;"|Through to (planned)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Japan's Expressway Numbering System. www.mlit.go.jp.
  2. Web site: 一般国道38号・44号 釧路外環状道路 再評価原案準備書説明資料 平成28年度. ja. MLIT. 25 October 2016. 3 July 2019.
  3. Web site: 路外環 状道路(釧路東IC~釧路別保IC)と釧路中標津道路(一般国道272号)上別保道路 が 平成31年3月9日(土)15時に開通します!. ja. MLIT. 5 February 2019. 3 July 2019.