Kōchi-Tōbu Expressway

The Kōchi-Tōbu Expressway (高知東部自動車道, Kōchi-Tōbu Jidōsha-dō) is an incomplete two-lane national expressway in Kōchi Prefecture. It is owned and operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The route is signed as an auxiliary route of National Route 55 as well E55 under MLIT's "2016 Proposal for Realization of Expressway Numbering."[1]

Kōchi-Tōbu Expressway
高知東部自動車道
Route information
Maintained by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Length	36.0 km (22.4 mi)
Existed	2011–present
Component highways	National Route 55
Highway system
National highways of Japan Expressways of Japan

Route description

The speed limit is 80 km/h for the entire route. There is only one lane traveling in each direction along the entirety of the expressway.

History

The existing portions (as of February 2019) of the expressway opened in five phases between March 2011 and April 2016.[2]

Future

The remainder of the route is planned to be opened to traffic in phases between 2021. It is unknown when the section between Kochi Ryoma Airport Interchange and Konan-Noichi Interchange will be completed.[3]

Junction list

The entire expressway is in Kōchi Prefecture.

Location	km	mi	Exit	Name	Destinations	Notes
Kōchi	0	0.0	-	Kōchi	Kōchi Expressway	Planned western terminus of the expressway, planned opening in 2021.
	2.8	1.7	1	Kōchi-chūō	Kōchi Route 374	Planned opening in 2021
	6.2	3.9	2	Kōchi-minami	Kōchi Route 376
Nankoku	10.9	6.8	3	Nankoku	Kōchi Route 375
	15.0	9.3	4	Kōchi Ryoma Airport	Kōchi Route 13 – Kōchi Airport
3.5 km gap in the expressway, connection is made by Kōchi Route 13 and National Route 55
Kōnan	18.5	11.5	5	Kōnan-Noichi	National Route 55
	20.7	12.9	6	Kōnan-Kagami	Kōchi Route 227
	23.6	14.7	7	Kōnan-Yasu	Kōchi Route 51
Geisei	27.5	17.1	8	Geisei-nishi	National Route 55	Eastern terminus of the expressway (as of February 2019)
	30.5	19.0	9	Geisei-higashi	National Route 55
Aki	36.0	22.4	10	Aki-nishi	National Route 55	Planned eastern terminus of the expressway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Unopened

References

1. "Japan's Expressway Numbering System". www.mlit.go.jp.
2. "記者発表資料" (pdf) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 February 2019.
3. "高知東部自動車道 国道55号 高知南国道路 全線開通 高知自動車道〜高知南IC間が令和3年2月27日（土曜日）に開通します" [Kōchi-Tōbu Expressway National Route 55 Kōchi Nankoku Road opening, the section between Kōchi Expressway and Kōchi-minami IC will open on Saturday, February 27, 2021] (PDF) (in Japanese). Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.

See also

• Japan National Route 55
• Kōchi Expressway

External links

• (in Japanese) Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: Shikoku Development Bureau