Tōmei Expressway Explained

Country:JPN
Type:Expressway
Route:Tōmei
Alternate Name: 東名高速道路
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:Tōmei Expressway in red
Length Km:346.8
Length Round:1
Length Ref:[1]
Established:1968[2] [3]
Terminus A:Tokyo Interchange in Setagaya, Tokyo
Shuto Expressway Shibuya Route
Tokyo Metropolitan Route 311
Cities:Kawasaki, Yokohama, Atsugi, Fuji, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Toyokawa, Toyota, Nagoya, Kasugai
Terminus B:Komaki Interchange in Komaki, Aichi
Meishin Expressway
Nagoya Expressway Komaki Route
National Route 41

The is a national expressway on the island of Honshū in Japan. It is operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company. The expressway is designated as E1 under the "2016 Proposal for Realization of Expressway Numbering", because it parallels National Route 1.[4] It is a part of the Asian Highway Network.

Naming

The word Tōmei is an acronym consisting of two kanji characters. The first character refers to and the second refers to, which are the two major urban areas linked by the expressway.

Officially the expressway is designated as the First Tōkai Expressway.[5] A second Tōkai Expressway (operating as the Shin-Tōmei Expressway) is under construction parallel to the existing route, and is intended to alleviate congestion problems in the near term.

The expressway is also a part of Route AH1 of the Asian Highway Network.[6] [7]

Overview

The Tōmei Expressway is an important roadway linking Tokyo and Nagoya. It is the most heavily travelled roadway operated by Central Nippon Expressway Company, with some sections used by more than 100,000 vehicles a day.[8]

The first sections were opened to traffic in 1968 and the entire route was completed in 1969.[2]

From the origin in western Tokyo the expressway follows a westerly route through Kanagawa Prefecture, paralleling National Route 246 and passing to the north of Yokohama. The route continues west into Shizuoka Prefecture, passing to the south of Mount Fuji and along the coastline of Suruga Bay, paralleling National Route 1 and the historic Tōkaidō highway before reaching the city of Shizuoka. The expressway continues west, passing Lake Hamana in western Shizuoka Prefecture, and crosses into Aichi Prefecture. The expressway then heads northwest, passing to the east of the city of Nagoya and meeting the terminus of the Chūō Expressway before terminating at an interchange in the city of Komaki to the north of Nagoya. Although the Tōmei Expressway ends at this point, the roadway continues as the Meishin Expressway towards Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe.

List of interchanges and features

No.NameConnectionsDist. from
Origin
Bus StopNotesLocation
Through to Shuto Expressway Shibuya Route
1Tokyo ICMet. Route 311 (Kampachi-dori Ave.)0.0SetagayaTokyo
style="background-color: #BFB;"-Tōmei JCT Tokyo Gaikan ExpresswayPlanned
BRTamagawa BridgeTama River crossing
Tama-ku, KawasakiKanagawa
style="background-color: #BFB;"-Shukugawara JCT Shuto Expressway Kawasaki RoutePlanned
TBTokyo Toll Gate/
Mukaigaoka Bus Stop
6.7Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki
3Tōmei-Kawasaki IC7.6
BSEda Bus Stop10.5Aoba-ku, Yokohama
3-1Yokohama-Aoba IC
Shuto Expressway Yokohama Northwest Route
13.3
PAKōhoku PA14.2Midori-ku, Yokohama
4Yokohama-Machida IC/
Yokohama Bus Stop
National Route 16 (Yamato Bypass)
National Route 246
Hodogaya Bypass
19.7XBus Stop closed
BSYamato Bus Stop24.0Yamato
TNYamato Tunnel
BSAyase Bus Stop28.8Ayase
style="background-color: #BFB;"-Ayase SICPref. Route 42 (Fujisawa Zama Atsugi Route)33.9Planned
SAEbina SA31.3Ebina
4-1Ebina JCT Ken-Ō Expressway33.9
5Atsugi IC Odawara-Atsugi Road
National Route 129
National Route 246
35.0Atsugi
BSAtsugi Bus Stop36.7
5-1Isehara JCT Shin-Tōmei Expressway40.0Isehara
BSIsehara Bus Stop41.7
5-2Hadano-Nakai IC/
Hadano Bus Stop
Pref. Route 71 (Hadano Ninomiya Route)
Atsugi-Hadano Road (Planned)
50.1Hadano
PANakai PA53.6Nakai
BSŌi Bus Stop57.1Ōi
6Ōi-Matsuda IC National Route 246
National Route 255
Pref. Route 78 (Gotenba Ōi Route)
57.9
BSMatsuda Bus Stop60.2Matsuda
BSYamakita Bus Stop63.6Yamakita
TNAzumayama Tunnel
TNShintsuburano Tunnel (Komaki-bound)
Tsuburano Tunnel (Tokyo-bound)
TNTorideyama TunnelTokyo-bound only
TNTarogao Tunnel
TNKitahata Tunnel
PAAyuzawa PA71.9(↓)
72.5(↑)
Komaki-bound: Accessible only to Left Route
TNSakuradaira TunnelTokyo-bound onlyOyamaShizuoka
TNTakao Tunnel
BSOyama Bus Stop75.5Komaki-bound: Accessible only to Left Route
TNShoryo TunnelTokyo-bound only
TNShirahata Tunnel
BRTomei Ashigara Bridge
BSAshigara Bus Stop79.2
SA
(6-1)
Ashigara SA/
SIC
80.9
Gotemba
7Gotemba IC (No.2) National Route 138 (Gotemba Bypass)83.7Komaki-bound exit, Tokyo-bound entrance only
Gotemba IC (No.1)/
Gotemba Bus Stop
Pref. Route 401 (Gotemba Hakone Route)
7-1Gotemba JCT Shin-Tōmei Expressway88.3Tokyo-bound only
PA
(7-2)
Komakado PA/
SIC
89.9(↓)
90.0(↑)
XBus Stop closed
7-3Susono IC National Route 246
Pref. Route 82 (Susono Inter Route)
93.8Susono
BSSusono Bus Stop95.5
8Numazu ICPref. Route 83 (Numazu Inter Route)
Izu-Jūkan Expressway
103.3Numazu
PA
(8-1)
Ashitaka PA/
SIC
105.9
BSHara Bus StopXClosed
BSNakazato Bus Stop115.7Fuji
9Fuji IC Nishi-Fuji Road
National Route 139
Pref. Route 353 (Tagonourakō Fuji Inter Route)
Shin-Tōmei Expressway
121.5
BSMatsuoka Bus Stop125.0
SA
(9-1)
Fujikawa SA/
SIC
Pref. Route 10 (Fujikawa Minobu Route)127.5
TNKambara TunnelLength - 714 mShimizu-ku, Shizuoka
BSKambara Bus Stop133.1
PAYui PA138.6(↓)
139.7(↑)
TNSatta Tunnel
BSOkitsu Bus Stop142.5
TNOkitsu Tunnel
TNSeikenji Tunnel
TNSodeshi Tunnel
9-2Shimizu JCT Shin-Tōmei Expressway146.4
10Shimizu IC National Route 1 (Seishin Bypass)147.8
PANihondaira PA155.8Suruga-ku, Shizuoka
10-1Nihondaira-Kunōzan SIC158.8
11Shizuoka ICPref. Route 84 (Nakajima Minamiabe Route)161.8
TNNihonzaka TunnelTokyo-bound Left Route - 2,378 m
Tokyo-bound Right Route - 2,371 m
Komaki-bound - 2,555 m
Yaizu
PANihonzaka PA171.5(↓)
171.6(↑)
12Yaizu ICPref. Route 81 (Yaizu Mori Route)173.6
BSYaizu-nishi Bus Stop176.1
12-1Ōigawa-Yaizu-Fujieda SIC181.0
BSŌigawa Bus Stop181.0
13Yoshida ICPref. Route 34 (Shimada Yoshida Route)185.6Yoshida
SAMakinohara SA/
Bus Stop
194.5Makinohara
13-1Sagara-Makinohara IC National Route 473197.0
14Kikugawa ICPref. Route 79 (Yoshida Daitō Route)201.8Kikugawa
14-1Kakegawa IC207.8Kakegawa
PAOgasa PA209.7
BSOkatsu Bus Stop212.9
15Fukuroi ICPref. Route 61 (Hamakita Fukuroi Route)219.4Fukuroi
15-1Iwata ICPref. Route 86 (Iwata Inter Route)
Pref. Route 283 (Yokokawa Iwata Route)
223.3Former site of Iwatahara PAIwata
PA
(15-2)
Enshū-Toyoda PA/
SIC
225.2
BSIwata Bus Stop226.2
16Hamamatsu ICPref. Route 65 (Hamamatsu Kanjō Route)230.0Chūō-ku, Hamamatsu
BSHamamatsu-kita Bus Stop233.5
PA
(16-1)
Mikatagahara PA/
SIC
234.9
16-2Hamamatsu-nishi ICPref. Route 65 (Hamamatsu Kanjō Route)240.5
16-3Kanzanji SICPref. Route 320 (Inasa Kanzanji Route)
Pref. Route 368 (Kotō kanzanji Route)
244.7
BSKanzanji Bus Stop244.7
BRHamanako BridgeLength - 603 m
Hamana-ku, Hamamatsu
SAHamanako SA247.9
17Mikkabi ICPref. Route 85 (Mikkabi Inter Route)
Pref. Route 308 (Hōrai Mikkabi Route)
251.1
TNMikkabi Tunnel
BSMikkabi Bus Stop255.0
17-1Mikkabi JCT Shin-Tōmei Expressway255.8
TNUri Tunnel
ShinshiroAichi
PAShinshiro PA261.1
BSToyohashi-kita Bus Stop262.3Toyohashi
PAToyohashi PA
18Toyokawa IC National Route 151269.0Toyokawa
PAAkatsuka PA274.0
BSOtowa Bus Stop279.1
18-1Otowa-Gamagōri IC National Route 1
Otowa-Gamagōri Toll Road
280.2
BSMotojuku Bus Stop285.4Okazaki
PAMiai PA289.7
19Okazaki IC National Route 1
Pref. Route 26 (Okazaki Kanjō Route)
293.4
style="background-color: #BFB;"-Okazaki-Achiwa SICPlanned
BSIwazu Bus Stop301.5
19-2Toyota JCT Isewangan Expressway304.1Toyota
SA
(19-3)
Toyota-Kamigō SA/
SIC
Pref. Route 76 (Toyota Anjō Route)305.8
20Toyota IC National Route 155 (Toyota-minami Bypass)
Pref. Route 76 (Toyota Anjō Route)
310.8
20-1Tōmei-Miyoshi IC/
Miyoshi Bus Stop
Pref. Route 54 (Toyota Chiryū Route)315.8Miyoshi
PATōgō PA318.1Nisshin
BSNisshin Bus Stop319.3
20-2Nisshin JCT Nagoya-Seto Road322.3
21Nagoya IC Mei-Nikan Expressway
Pref. Route 60 (Nagoya Nagakute Route)
325.5Meitō-ku, Nagoya
BSAsahi Bus Stop329.5XClosedOwariasahi
PA
(21-1)
Moriyama PA/
SIC
333.7Moriyama-ku, Nagoya
22Kasugai IC National Route 19337.7XBus Stop closedKasugai
23Komaki JCT Chūō Expressway339.9Komaki
24Komaki IC Nagoya Expressway Komaki Route (via Komaki-kita Interchange)
National Route 41
346.8
Through to Meishin Expressway

Lanes

SectionTokyo-bound LanesKomaki-bound Lanes
Shuto Expressway - Tokyo ICTwo
Tokyo IC - Ayase BSThree
Ayase BS - Ebina JCTFourThree
Ebina JCT - Ōi-Matsuda ICThree
Ōi-Matsuda IC - Ashigara BSThreeTwo (Left Route) + Two (Right Route)
Ashigara BS - Komakado PAThree
Komakado PA - Shizuoka ICTwo
Shizuoka IC - Nihonzaka TunnelThreeTwo
Nihonzaka TunnelTwo (Left Route) + Two (Right Route)Three
Nihonzaka Tunnel - Nihonzaka PAThree
Nihonzaka PA - Yaizu ICTwoThree
Yaizu IC - Komaki ICTwo
  • Sections with left and right routes formerly carried 2 lanes of traffic in each direction. An additional roadway (carrying 3 lanes of traffic in one direction only) has been constructed parallel to the existing 4 lanes to alleviate congestion. The original 4 lanes are then converted for the use of traffic in the opposite direction.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Road Timetable . Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport . 2008-05-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080610033238/http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/kyoku/road/jikoku/station/toumei.html . 2008-06-10 . dead .
  2. Web site: History of Tokyo's 3 Ring Roads . Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport . 2008-04-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080402092029/http://www.ktr.mlit.go.jp/3kanjo/history/index.htm . 2008-04-02 .
  3. Web site: Construction History of Japan . Japan Civil Engineering Contractors' Association . 2008-05-20 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090210005413/http://dokokyo.or.jp/data/nenpyo/1968.htm . 2009-02-10 .
  4. Web site: Japan's Expressway Numbering System. www.mlit.go.jp . 27 June 2019.
  5. Web site: High Standard Trunk Road Map . Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport . 2008-04-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110927111136/http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-yosan/h20/s07.pdf . 2011-09-27 .
  6. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 2003 Asian Highway Handbook, 2003, page 54 shows an aerial photo of the Yokohama Aoba Interchange, placing AH1 clearly on the Tomei Expressway rather than the other Tokyo-Nagoya expressway, the Chūō Expressway.
  7. Web site: Sectional AH Data for Japan . UNESCAP Asian Highway Network Project . 2008-05-20 . excel . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050512144044/http://unescap.org/ttdw/common/TIS/AH/files/japanhp.xls . 2005-05-12 .
  8. Web site: C-NEXCO Business Outline . 2008-05-20 .