China Trans-China Expressway

This expressway runs east-west from the Hanshin region through the central mountainous area of ​​the Chugoku region, reaching Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It is managed by West Nippon Expressway Company. It branches off from the Meishin Expressway at its starting point in Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, passes through Tsuyama City in Okayama Prefecture, Miyoshi City in Hiroshima Prefecture, and Yamaguchi City, and connects directly to the Kanmon Expressway at its end in Shimonoseki City. It is 543 kilometers long, with six lanes between Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture and Miki City in Hyogo Prefecture, and four lanes elsewhere. Along the way, it branches off to the Sanyo Expressway in Kobe City, and the Kinki Expressway Tsuruga Line in Miki City. It connects to the Chugoku Transcontinental Expressway Onomichi-Matsue Line in Miyoshi City, connects to the Sanyo Expressway in Yamaguchi City and Shimonoseki City, and connects to the planned San'in Expressway in Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. This road, commonly known as the Chugoku Expressway, was opened in its entirety in 1983 (Showa 58), and has played a role in improving the convenience of the Chugoku Mountains, which had few transportation routes, promoting regional development, as well as directly connecting the western Chugoku region and Kyushu with the Hanshin area and the Tokyo metropolitan area, and promoting economic and cultural exchange. In fiscal 2010 (Heisei 22), the average number of vehicles using it per day was approximately 140,000.

[Shimoho Osamu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

阪神地方から中国地方の中央山間部を東西に貫き、山口県下関市に至る高速道路。管理は西日本高速道路。起点の大阪府吹田(すいた)市で名神高速道路から分岐し、岡山県津山市、広島県三次(みよし)市、山口市を経て、終点の下関(しものせき)市で関門自動車道に直結する。延長は543キロメートル、大阪府池田市―兵庫県三木(みき)市間は6車線、他は4車線である。途中、神戸市で山陽自動車道、三木市では近畿自動車道敦賀(つるが)線が分岐する。三次市で中国横断自動車道尾道松江線と接続、山口市および下関市で山陽自動車道に接続、山口県美祢(みね)市で計画路線の山陰自動車道と接続する。この道路は中国自動車道と通称され、1983年（昭和58）に全線開通し、交通路の乏しかった中国山地の利便性の向上、地域開発の促進とともに、中国地方西部・九州地方を、阪神圏さらには首都圏と直結させ、経済・文化などの交流を促進させる役割をもっている。2010年度（平成22）では、1日平均利用台数は約14万台であった。

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