Dōtō Expressway

The Dōtō Expressway (道東自動車道, Dōtō Jidōsha-dō, lit. "East Hokkaidō Expressway) is a 2-laned national expressway in Hokkaidō, Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.

Dōtō Expressway sign
Dōtō Expressway
道東自動車道
Route information
Length258.0 km[1] (160.3 mi)
Existed1995[2]–present
Major junctions
FromChitose-Eniwa Junction in Chitose, Hokkaido
Dō-Ō Expressway
ToKushiro, Hokkaido
Kitami, Hokkaido
Location
CountryJapan
Major citiesYūbari, Obihiro
Highway system

It forms the middle section of the Trans-Hokkaidō Expressway.

Overview

The expressway is connects the east of Hokkaidō with central regions including the greater Sapporo urban area.[3]

At Honbetsu Junction near the eastern end the expressway splits into two routes: one route heading east towards the city of Kushiro and another route heading north towards the city of Kitami. All future extensions of these two routes will be constructed according to the New Direct Control System[3] and are expected to operate toll-free upon completion.

The expressway is among the least used in Japan. At the time of its opening it was used by an average of only 650 vehicles a day, the lowest among all national expressways in Japan.[2] As of 2006 the average daily ridership of the expressway has increased to 4,751 vehicles (for comparison the figure for the Tōhoku Expressway is 270,546 vehicles).[1]

The speed limit is 70 km/h for the entire route.

List of interchanges and features

Kushiro Route
No. Name Connections Dist. from
Origin		 Notes Location
(all in Hokkaidō)
(25) Chitose-Eniwa JCT Dō-Ō Expressway 0.0 Chitose
1 Chitose-higashi IC National Route 337 12.6
PA Kiusu PA 14.5
2 Oiwakechō IC National Route 234 21.9 Abira
PA Yuni PA 29.3 Yuni
3 Yūbari IC National Route 274 42.1 Yūbari
4 Mukawa Hobetsu IC Pref. Route 1165 (Mukawa Hobetsu Inter Route) 56.5 Mukawa
TN Hobetsu Tunnel Length - 4,332 m
5 Shimukappu IC Pref. Route 1172 (Shimukappu Inter Route) 76.6 Shimukappu
PA Shimukappu PA 80.0
6 Tomamu IC Pref. Route 1170 (Tomamu Inter Route) 102.8
TN Daiichi Karikachi Tunnel Point of highest elevation among all expressways in Hokkaidō (626 m)
Length - 2,351 m		 Minamifurano
- Shintoku IC Planned Shintoku
7 Tokachi Shimizu IC National Route 274 123.7 Shimizu
SA Tokachiheigen SA 138.6 Memuro
8 Memuro IC Pref. Route 54 (Higashiurimaku Memuro Route) 140.9
9 Obihiro JCT Obihiro-Hiroo Expressway 145.3
10 Otofuke Obihiro IC National Route 241 (Obihiro Kita Bypass) 152.4 Otofuke
PA Osarushi PA 165.5
11 Ikeda IC National Route 242 174.0 Ikeda
TB Ikeda Toll Gate
12 Honbetsu JCT Kitami Route 191.2 No access: Ashoro IC ←→ Honbetsu IC Honbetsu
13 Honbetsu IC Pref. Route 1154 (Honbetsu Inter Route) 193.0
14 Urahoro IC National Route 274 201.0 Urahoro
<TN> Sensho Tunnel Length - 4,460 m
15 Shiranuka IC National Route 392 227.0 Shiranuka
16 Shoro IC Pref. Route 242 (Kami-Shoro Shoro Teishajō Route) 235.0
17 Akan IC National Route 240 240.9 Kushiro
Planned
18 Kushiro-nishi IC National Route 38 (Kushiro Shindō) 259.1
Through to Kushiro Sotokan Road

Kitami Route
No. Name Connections Dist. from
Origin		 Notes Location (all in Hokkaidō)
12 Honbetsu JCT Kushiro Route 191.2 No access: Ashoro IC ←→ Honbetsu IC Honbetsu
1 Ashoro IC National Route 242 204.4 Ashoro
Through to Tokachi-Okhotsk Expressway (Planned)

History
  • October 30, 1995 - Tokachi Shimizu Interchange - Ikeda Interchange section opened.
  • October 7, 1999 - Chitose-Eniwa Junction - Yūbari Interchange section opened.
  • March 15, 2003 - Obihiro Junction is opened, connecting with the Obihiro-Hiroo Expressway.
  • June 8, 2003 - Ikeda Interchange - Honbetsu Interchange section and Honbetsu Junction - Ashoro Interchange section opened.
  • October 21, 2007 - Tomamu Interchange - Tokachi Shimizu Interchange section opened.
  • October 24, 2009 - Shimukappu Interchange - Tomamu Interchange section opened.
  • November 21, 2009 - Honbetsu Interchange - Urahoro Interchange section opened.
  • October 29, 2011 - Yubari Interchange - Shimukappu Interchange section opened.
  • March 29, 2015 - Urahoro Interchange - Shiranuka Interchange section opened.
  • March 12, 2016 - Shiranuka Interchange - Akan Interchange section opened.

See also

References
  1. "E-NEXCO Expressway Data". Archived from the original on 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
  2. "Hokkaido Keizai Sangyo Shimbun, October 22, 2007". Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  3. "E-NEXCO Opening Schedule". Retrieved 2008-04-15.

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