(7th report)
Status of Expressway following the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake (Tohoku Regional Head Regional Head Office)

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  • (7th report) Status of Expressway following the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake (Tohoku Regional Head Regional Head Office)

March 12, 2011
As of 12:00
East Nippon Expressway Co., Ltd.
Tohoku Regional Head Office

Regarding the damage to the Expressway caused by the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake that occurred at 14:46 on March 11, 2011, NEXCO East Japan Tohoku Regional Head Office (Aoba Ward, Sendai City) is proceeding with confirmation of the damage situation and at the same time Is making every possible effort to restore.

In addition, the response to the earthquake occurrence, Tohoku Regional Head Office Tohoku in the Regional Head Office has launched a disaster response headquarters.

1-passable section (The table below is for the Tohoku Regional Head Office Office (*1) only)

Road name section By vertical line Remarks
Yamagata Expressway Yudonoyama IC-Sakata Minato IC Up and down No road closure
Yonezawa Nan-Yo Road Yonezawa Kita IC-Nanyo Takahata IC Up and down Cancellation of traffic on 3/11 16:00
Yamagata Expressway Sasaya IC-Sekizawa IC under Cancellation of suspension of traffic from 20:25
Yamagata Expressway Sasaya IC-Sekizawa IC Up Cancellation of suspension of traffic from 20:30
Tohoku Expressway Ikariseki IC-Aomori IC Up and down Cancellation from 11:35 on 3/12
Aomori Expressway Aomori JCT-Aomori East IC Up and down Same as above
*1 Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata, Fukushima (Tohoku Expressway: north of Shirakawa IC, Joban Expressway: north of Iwaki Nakoso IC)
  • All Expressway except the above sections are closed to ensure safety.
  • Remove the roadblock from the point where safety is confirmed.

Please refer to the information on the Kanto Regional Head Office, which is posted on our website.

2 Emergency traffic route designation (status within our jurisdiction)

The following Expressway have been temporarily restored so far, and have already been used on some roads for local support such as the Self-Defense Forces, but from 11:00 on March 12, 2011, as a disaster emergency measure. In order to secure the passage of emergency vehicles (*2) that carry the necessary personnel and materials, the following Expressway managed by the Company have been designated as emergency traffic routes by the Public Safety Commission.

Only emergency vehicles can pass in the following sections.

Please note that some ICs may not be accessible.

Road name direction section IC that can not go in and out
Tohoku Expressway Up and down Urawa IC-Ikarugaseki IC Yabuki, Koriyama Minami, Hongu, Nihonmatsu, Kunimi
Hachinohe Expressway Up and down Ashiro JCT-Nango IC  
Joban Expressway Up and down Misato IC-Iwaki Chuo IC Iwaki Yumoto
Kamaishi Expressway Up and down Hanamaki JCT ~ Hanamaki Airport IC  
Akita Expressway Up and down Kitakami JCT-Kitakami West IC  
Ban-Etsu Expressway Up and down Tsugawa IC-Iwaki JCT Iwaki Sanwa, Ono, Funabiki Miharu, Bandai Atami, Inawashiro Bandai Plateau, Bandai Kato, Aizu Sakashita, Nishiaizu

The section designated as an emergency traffic route and the IC that cannot enter or leave are subject to change in the future.

*2 Emergency vehicle: An emergency designated vehicle equipped with a red light or a vehicle carrying an "emergency vehicle confirmation certificate".

3 Damage situation

Currently, there is no information such as injuries on the Expressway.
The following conditions have been confirmed regarding road damage.

(1) Two places such as the toll booth on the Sendai-Tobu Road the coastal area are submerged in water.
(2) The following are Expressway in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures.

  • Road steps or depressions of several centimeters to 1 meter,
  • Such as cracks on the road with a width of several centimeters
  • Dozens of damages that could hinder driving have been identified.