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NEXCO EAST Tohoku Regional Head Office (Miyagino-ku, Sendai City) has compiled a traffic congestion forecast for the year-end and New Year period [8 days from Thursday, December 28, 2023 to Thursday, January 4, 2024] at Expressway in the Tohoku region.

1. 1. Congestion forecast

Although traffic will be concentrated on Expressway in the Tohoku region due to customers spending the year-end and New Year holidays in their hometowns, it is predicted that congestion of more than 5 km will not occur due to the concentration of traffic. The peak traffic volume is expected to be on December 30th (Saturday) for Out-bound direction and on January 2nd (Tuesday) for the In-bound direction, so please try to spread out your use by staggering departure dates and times.
Additionally, traffic jams occur every year due to accidents. When departing, please make sure to drive safely and wear winter tires and other winter equipment, and make sure to plan your trip using Expressway information and other information.

2. When using the Expressway in winter

• Before you depart, please check the latest road information on Expressway traffic information site "DraTra", LINE, X (formerly Twitter), etc.
• Rest facilities are expected to be crowded during the year-end and New Year holidays, so please refuel, power up, and use the restroom as early as possible.
  We also ask that you park in the designated spaces for easy access for large vehicles.
• If the car stops due to an accident or breakdown at Expressway, do not stand on the road, stay in the car, and immediately evacuate to a safe place such as outside the guardrail.

◆Notes regarding ETC holiday discounts
Holiday discounts are not applicable during the year-end and New Year period.

• Exemptions from holiday discounts (press release on January 30, 2023)

3. Rest facilities that require attention to congestion

Rest facilities in the Tohoku region during the year-end and New Year holidays are usually crowded with customers using Expressway on their way home.
As a measure against congestion, we plan to deploy parking lot marshals at some rest facilities. In addition, we will focus on securing parking spaces for large vehicles to make it easier for large vehicles to use the facility. Please note that some rest facilities are not staffed by parking lot attendants from night to morning, so please park in designated spaces that are easily accessible for large vehicles.

• “SA” stands for service area and “PA” stands for parking area.

≪Reference≫ Congestion measures at rest facilities, etc.

Four. Request from NEXCO EAST Tohoku Regional Head Office

~ Before departure ~

• Be mentally prepared and have your car fully equipped for winter
  Accidents are more likely to occur Expressway in winter. Before you depart, make sure you are fully equipped with winter tires and other winter equipment. (See Attachment 1 [PDF: 2.0MB])
• Please make a flexible travel plan.
  Please take advantage of the traffic congestion prediction information and when using Expressway, try to avoid traffic jams by distributing your usage, such as by shifting the days and times when traffic congestion is predicted to occur, and depart with a flexible travel plan. Also, just before departure, please check the latest road traffic information on Expressway information site `` DraTra''.
  Please refuel, power​ ​up, and use the restroom as early as possible before using Expressway or at an SA/PA located before a congested area.
• Please help prevent problems such as vehicle breakdowns and falling cargo.
  Before using Expressway, please check​ ​the remaining gasoline level and tire pressure to prevent problems on Expressway. Also, please make sure that your luggage is secured before departure to prevent objects from falling.

~ On the Expressway ~

• Wear your seat belt even in the back seat
  On Expressway, seatbelts are required by law for all passengers, including those in the back seats.
  Please be sure to wear it.
• Driving in the wrong direction is a life-threatening act.
  ​You can only go in the designated direction Expressway. Please check the direction of travel by checking the guide signs and road markings before driving.
  URL: Driving in the wrong direction -Expressway are one-way -
• Take adequate breaks and drive safely
  Driving at night or driving for long periods of time tends to cause fatigue. To prevent accidents caused by falling asleep, etc., please use SA/PA, take appropriate breaks, and drive safely.
• Appropriate use of parking spaces
  As a countermeasure against congestion, we will deploy parking lot marshals to ensure that customers can use the parking spaces appropriately. We also ask that you park in the designated spaces for easy access for large vehicles.
  (See Attachment 2 [PDF: 235KB])

-To avoid an accident-If an accident occurs-

(See Attachment 3 [PDF: 290KB])

• signal to the following vehicle
  To prevent rear-end collisions​ ​in congested areas, if you see traffic ahead, please turn on your hazard lights to signal to vehicles following you.
• Avoid walking around and evacuate to a safe place
  In the unlikely event of an accident or breakdown, turn on the hazard lights, set up flares and stop signs, and then promptly evacuate the driver and passengers to a safe location, such as outside the guardrail. After that, please report it by dialing 110 or an emergency number.
• If you discover a road abnormality or emergency situation
  If you notice any abnormalities or fallen objects on the road, please call the road emergency number #9910.

Five. Providing traffic jam information, etc.

For safe and comfortable driving on Expressway, you can easily obtain the latest Expressway information (congestion conditions, road surface conditions, road conditions, etc.) on your computer or mobile phone. Please use it before departure.

• The use of mobile phones and smartphones while driving is prohibited. When using it, please operate it before departure, during breaks, or by a passenger.

Traffic jam prediction information

• Information on special website during traffic congestion season
  In addition to posting a traffic jam forecast guide on NEXCO EAST 's customer website `` DraPla'', traffic jam forecasters also provide video explanations of key points for avoiding traffic jams.
  Please check the traffic congestion forecast and avoid using the service on busy days and times.

Special site for traffic congestion period

Expressway information such as traffic congestion

• Drive Traffic (DraTra)
  You can check road traffic information such as real-time congestion information, road closure information, and regulation information.
• Road Traffic Information Now! !
  * (Public interest incorporated foundation) Japan Road Traffic Information Center HP
• Expressway information distribution via LINE
  (See Attachment 4 [PDF: 303KB])
  The official LINE account "NEXCO EAST" provides Expressway information. To register as a friend, please read the two-dimensional code below or enter @e_nexco in the ID search.

  

• NEXCO東日本お客さまセンター
  0570-024-024　または　03-5308-2424
  ※24時間365日オペレーターが対応します。
• （公財）日本道路交通情報センター
  050-3369-6666（全国共通ダイヤル）

• Traffic conditions may change significantly due to accidents or weather conditions, so please check the latest road traffic information on "DraTra" before departure.