Ken-O Road Ibaraki Prefecture All lines open on Sunday, February 26, 2017

(Sakai Furukawa IC-Tsukuba Central IC 28.5km)

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  • Press Release Kanto Regional Head Office
  • Ken-O Road Ibaraki Prefecture All lines open on Sunday, February 26, 2017

December 20, 2016
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd.

Stock effect expected from opening *1

Improved access from Narita Airport to tourist destinations throughout the Kanto region

  • Access from Narita Airport to tourist destinations such as Nikko/Nasu, Tomioka Silk Mill and Kawagoe has improved. Expected to promote tourism.

About 1,600 large logistics facilities along the line accelerate productivity improvement

  • Possibility of accelerated productivity improvement at approximately 1,600 large logistics facilities located along the Ken-O Road O Expressway (Tomei Expressway-Higashi Kanto Expressway)
  • Ibaraki Prefecture is the number one factory location in Japan for three consecutive years
    Efforts such as land readjustment projects are progressing, and we expect further business location!

Outline of open section *2

[Opening section] Sakai Furukawa IC (Sakai-machi, Ibaraki Prefecture)-Tsukuba Central IC (Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture)
[Extension] 28.5km
[Opening IC] Bando IC, Joso IC
[Number of lanes] Provisional 2 lanes

*1: Stock effect: An effect that can be continuously obtained in the medium to long term by the functioning of the developed social capital.
*2: We will inform you later about the opening time and the opening ceremony.

Overview of the Ken-O Road Expressway section

  • This opening will connect six radiant roads from the Tomei Expressway to the East Kanto Road

Overview of this section

  • Opening section: Sakai Furukawa IC (Nishizumida, Sakaijima-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture)-Tsukuba Central IC (Arai, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture)
  • Opening date: February 26, 2017
  • Extension: 28.5km
  • Opening IC: Bando IC, Joso IC
  • Number of lanes: Provisional 2 lanes
Image image of the outline of the open section of the Ken-O Road

Improved access from Narita Airport to tourist destinations throughout the Kanto region

  • Improved access from Narita Airport to tourist destinations such as Nikko/Nasu, Tomioka Silk Mill, and Kawagoe
    Expected to promote tourism.
  • Some say that they are expecting an increase in foreign tourists from Narita Airport and visitors from Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures.

About 1,600 large logistics facilities along the line accelerate productivity improvement

  • Possibility of accelerated productivity improvement at approximately 1,600 large logistics facilities located along the Ken-O Road O Expressway (Tomei Expressway-Higashi Kanto Expressway)
  • In Ibaraki Prefecture, the number of factory locations is the first in the country for three consecutive years (2013 to 2015).

Direct connection from Narita Airport to Shonan without going through the city center

  • Improved access from Narita Airport to Chichibu/Nagato due to reduced risk of traffic congestion and shorter time compared to via central Tokyo
    Example) Up to 20 minutes from Narita Airport to Chichibu/Nagatoro *3 (New Airport IC → Hanazono IC: 135 minutes → 115 minutes)
  • Bus companies that are considering changing the route to the Ken-O Road Expressway
  • More routes can be selected, avoiding traffic closures due to traffic jams, accidents, etc.

*3: Average travel time of 7 o'clock and 8 o'clock calculated from probe data (April 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016) (assuming that unopened section travels at the regulated speed of the adjacent section) )

Reference material

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