Section 1 Developing Trunk Road Networks Building Competitive Economy and Ⅱ Chapter 6 Society Chapter 6 Section 1 Developing Trunk Road Networks Building Competitive Economy and Society 1 Developing Trunk Road Networks (1) Developing Trunk Road Networks Since the First Five-Year Road Construction Plan formulated in 1954, Japanese highways have been continually constructed. For example, the construction of national highway networks, including expressways, has provided a major impetus in the rejuvenation of regional economies by encouraging plant locations near expressway interchanges. Addi- tionally, it has helped enhance the quality and safety of national life by making broad-area medical services accessible to rural areas and allowing broad rerouting to avoid highway disruption by natural disasters. For example, a section of 15.5 km of the Tokyo Outer Ring Road (Misato Minami IC to Koya JCT) opened on June 2, 2018, connecting about 60% of the Tokyo Outer Ring Road, helps reduce travel delay arising from congestion on the Inner Ring side of the Central Circular Route (including the Central Circular Route) by about 30%. The MLIT will continue to advance the development of Japan’s trunk road network in order to maximize stock effects of this type, with a focus on accelerating development of the metropolitan ring roads that form the core of the nation’s logistical networks utilizing the current low interest rate and the Fiscal Investment and Loan Program. Meanwhile, improvements, including expressways, are being systematically carried out to connect regions that are not yet part of the nationwide highway network. Figure II-6-1-1 Development Status of High-grade Trunk Highway Total extension Opened High-grade trunk highway About 14,000km 11,882km (85％) Legend In service 6-lane, 4-lane, 2-lane Under development Survey under way Other major routes Notes: 1. Names for interchanges and junctions under development include pending names. 2. “Other major routes” shown on this map shows major roads in the region (including those under development and in service) and not do not necessarily indicate the presence or priority of these individual routes As of March 31, 2019 Source) MLIT WHITE PAPER ON LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND TOURISM IN JAPAN 2019 81 国土2019 英語版_06.indd 81 2019/12/17 8:32:12 Section 1 Developing Trunk Road Networks (2) Promoting Smart Use of the Roads In the interest of improving produc- Toll System for Making Intelligent Use of Tokyo Ⅱ Figure II-6-1-2 tivity and thereby achieving economic Metropolitan Area Expressways (Implemented April 2016) Chapter 6 Development of Ken-O Expressway growth and improving traffic safety, ef- Due to maintenances in maintenance background, etc., and other expressways progressed Development-oriented tolls there were differences in toll levels and vehicle classication User-oriented tolls Standardize toll levels and car categorizes forts are under way to make intelligent (i) Consolidating/standardizing toll structure (inside of Ken-O Expressway) (ii) Realizing seamless tolls based on entry and exit points use of all road network functions by de- [Toll level] Standardization to be in line with the current sections around major metropolitan areas of National Expressways ○ Determining tolls based on the shortest distance between the entry and exit points [Vehicle classication] Standardized into 5 vehicle classications (Tolls via Ken-O Expressway > tolls via city center) veloping necessary networks, as well as Building Competitive Economy and Society Passenger vehicles Passenger vehicles (Ebina – Sakura Tsuchiura All roads All roads Tolls via Ken-O improving operations and small-scale Kukishiraoka) yen/km yen/km Expressway Mitigate drastic changes enhancements. Electronic toll collection 36.6 Note 1 ［29.52］Note 2 National Expressways Tolls via (ETC) 2.0 is one of these efforts, which (Sections near major city center ［24.6］Note 2 metropolitan areas) National Expressways started full service in August 2015. (Normal sections) Daisan Keihin Keiyo Expressway* Chiba Togane Road* (i) ETC 2.0 that supports smart use Saitama Gaikan Chuo Expressway at toll section Metropolitan Expressway* Ken-O Expressway Yokohama Yokosuka Road Atsugi --> Sakura Tsuchiura With data communication both ways Toll (yen) 5,050 Cut between about 1,700 roadside units 3,930 across Japan and vehicles on the road, 1 2 ETC 2.0 (compared to the previous 1 ETC version) is capable of: (a) sending Via city center Via Ken-O Expressway and receiving a large volume of data, Note 1: National Expressways (near major metropolitan areas) are examples of Tomei Expressway Note 2: Toll levels excluding consumption tax and terminal charges and (b) capturing route information, *1 In consideration of logistics impact and other factors, measures to mitigate drastic changes such as setting of upper limits on tolls were taken (however, tolls inside the district of Keiyo Expressway were unchanged). in addition to IC entry/exit data. With *2 To be organized after expressway networks in Chiba (Chiba Gaikan, Ken-O Expressway (between Matsuo- Yokoshiba and Daiei)) become almost complete. these much more advanced functions, *Also, vehicle classications are consolidated into ve categories (to be implemented for Metropolitan Expressway in phase) Source) MLIT ETC 2.0 greatly contributes to the pro- motion of ITS. (ii) Smart toll system New expressway tolls were introduced in April 2016 in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and in June 2017 in the Kinki region. These new tolls have begun to show effects including diversion of traffic to the outer ring roads to deconcentrate the inflow to the city center. We will continue to review these effects. On April 1, 2018, the Minami Hanna Toll Road and Sakaisenboku Toll Road were transferred to Nexco West Japan. We have also begun a study of a smart toll system for expressways in the Chukyo region, taking into account the specific challenges of the region. We have also conducted flexible toll tests at 20 locations nationwide in which vehicles equipped with ETC 2.0 devices were allowed to temporarily exit expressways to use rest facilities while being able to continue to use their original toll payment without interruption. The intention of this initiative is to eliminate sections of road with no rest facilities or gas stations nearby in order to improve the driving environment. 82 WHITE PAPER ON LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND TOURISM IN JAPAN 2019 国土2019 英語版_06.indd 82 2019/12/17 8:32:13 Section 1 Developing Trunk Road Networks Figure II-6-1-3 Toll System for Making Intelligent Use of the Kinki Region Expressways (Implemented in June 2017) (1) Consolidating/standardizing toll structure, and network improvement Ⅱ (i) Implement a distance-based toll system based on sections running through major cities connected to national expressways, and create ve standardized vehicle classications. Chapter 6 (ii) In the case of the Hanshin Expressway, in order to secure the necessary funding to improve Yodogawa-Sagan Route extensions and Osaka Wangan Route western extensions in line with local government proposals, a range of initiatives are being taken and the necessary toll rates will be set so as to offset 50% of costs for toll road projects. 36.6 Note 1 Distance-based** Organize and standardize** Note 2 Passenger vehicles ［29.52］ Flat toll sections, etc. 47.0 National Expressways All roads (Sections near major Hanshin Expressway (Hanshin area) yen/km metropolitan areas) Building Competitive Economy and Society (¥510 – ¥930) ※ ※ (About ¥100 increase for every 6 km) Meishin / Chugoku Expressways, etc. Kinki Expressway (Suita – Matsubara) (28.4 km) Nishi-Meihan Expressway Hanwa Expressway Kinki Expressway (Hanshin area) Expressway Hanshin Highway Second Keihan Hanwa Expressway (Matsubara – Kishiwada Izumi) (22.6 km) metropolitan areas) (Sections near major National Expressways (¥510 x 2 sections) Nishi-Meihan Expressway (Tenri – Matsubara) (27.2 km) (¥410 x 2 sections) **Take measures to mitigate drastic changes Note 1: National Expressways (near major metropolitan areas) are examples of Meishin Expressway etc. Note 2: Toll levels excluding consumption tax and terminal charges *In order to secure the necessary funding to improve the Yodogawa-Sagan Route and Osaka Wangan Route western extensions, a range of initiatives are being taken and the necessary toll rates are being set in line with local government proposals (2) Realizing seamless tolls by unifying management bodies (iii) Sections on routes that comprise an integrated network with expressway companies and that are (iv) In the interest of distributing trafc to address increasing trafc ows to the city centers of Osaka and Kobe, managed by local public road corporations, etc., will, in the interest of ensuring practical and efcient tolls will be determined based on the shortest distance between the entry and exit points, regardless of route. management, be centrally managed by expressway companies in accordance with regional aims. Hirakata Gakken B Second Keihan Highway, Hanshin Expressway ○ Osaka Prefectural Road Corporation: Minami-Hanna Toll Road and Sakai Senboku Toll Road Hirakata Gakken IC Loop Route ○ Abura-Koji Route and Naname-Kuzebashi Interval on the Hanshin Expressway’s Kyoto Route Toll (yen) 2,060 City A 1,690 Transfer to West Nippon Expressway Company (April 2018) center 1,610 A ＜ B ＜ C Reduction ○ Shin-Jujo Dori on the Hanshin Expressway’s Kyoto Route Hanshin Expressway C Loop Route A ＝ B ＝ C A B C Transfers to Kyoto City and becomes toll-free (April 2019) Note: Tolls