Hokuriku Expressway
Template: Infobox trunk road / maintenance / JP -A
Prefecture:
- Niigata
- Toyama
- Ishikawa
- Fukui
- Shiga
The Hokuriku Expressway (Japanese北 陆 自动 车道, Hokuriku Jidōshadō ) is an important transport connection in Japan and crosses the main Japanese island of Honshu from Niigata to Maibara and meets here on the Meishin highway. Its course follows this substantially to the National Highway 8
Street Description
The Hokuriku highway begins in Maibara, halfway between Nagoya and Kyoto on Meishin highway. The highway has 2x2 lanes and runs north to the coastal mountains. The mountains are up to 700 m. not very high, but steep. From Tsuruga the highway runs close along the coast and through mountainous terrain. The highway leads to several cities on the West Coast, as Echizen, Fukui and Komatsu past. Especially between Komatsu and Kanazawa performs the highway along the sea. Many nodes with other highways can not be found. Between Toyama and Kanazawa crossing the Tokai - Hokuriku highway, a short branch of the Northern Peninsula. The Hokuriku highway then turns to the northeast and leads to Toyama back into the inner country. In this area there are higher mountains up to 3,000 meters above sea level. However, the highway along the coast, where the mountains are lower runs.
In the Joetsu Joshin -etsu highway ends from Nagano and the Kan -etsu Nagaoka ends highway from Tokyo. The highway then runs north through shallower areas and reached the city of Niigata one of the larger towns on the west coast of Japan. South of Niigata cross the Ban -etsu highway from Koriyama komment and Hokuriku highway merges into the Nihonkai - Tohoku highway that leads continues north along Niigata.
History
The planning of the Hokuriku expressway began in the 60s and on October 18, 1972 opened the first section between Komatsu and Kanazawa - nishi for traffic. During the 70s, this part is extended both to the north and south. In 1978 opened the first part in Niigata and the highway was connected to the Meishin highway in 1980. On July 30, 1988, the last part of the motorway was opened in Tachiya. Initially, all the parts were not built directly with 2x2 lanes, but with only one lane. In 2000, the last part is extended to 2x2 lanes at Itoigawa.
Opening the data highway
Traffic
In 2005, at the beginning of the highway at about 27,000 vehicles traveling daily Maibara what to Kanazawa is stable. In Kanazawa approximately 31,000 vehicles per day. In Uozo a tranquil spot with 14,000 vehicles per day and Niigata at the busiest point with 42,000 vehicles per day.