Nishi-Kyūshū Expressway

The Nishikyushu Expressway (西九州自動車道, Nishi-Kyūshū jidōshadō) is one of the expressways of Japan which goes from Fukuoka to Takeo running through the prefecture of Saga and the northern half of the Nagasaki prefecture. The total length is 150 km.

Nishi-Kyūshū Expressway
Nishi-Kyūshū Expressway
E35 西九州自動車道
Route information
Length150 km (93 mi)
Existed1988–present
Component
highways
National Route 497
Major junctions
FromFukushige Junction in Nishi-ku, Fukuoka
Fukuoka Expressway 2
Fukuoka Expressway 5
ToTakeo Junction in Takeo
Nagasaki Expressway
Location
CountryJapan
Major citiesKaratsu, Imari, Matsuura
Sasebo
Highway system
Hasami, Nagasaki, Japan

Part of the road is specified as Route 497. This road has two toll zones. The Fukuoka and Maebaru toll zone is managed by Fukuoka Prefectural Road Public Corporation. The Takeo and Sasebo toll zone is managed by West Nippon Expressway Company. The other roadway is managed by MLIT. This road is connected to Fukuoka Expressway Circular Route in Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, and to Nagasaki Expressway in Takeo. From Nijō to Nijō Shika Interchange this expressway overlaps a section of Nijō Hamatama road.

Overview

edit

The first section of the expressway was opened to traffic in 1988. As of April 2016 the expressway was incomplete in many areas. The next sections were scheduled to open in 2017 (Minamihata Taniguchi Interchange to Imari Higashi Interchange) and (Imabuku Interchange to Tsukinokawa Interchange). After this, most of the incomplete areas were to be built according to the New Direct Control System, whereby the burden for construction costs will be shared by the national and local governments and no tolls were to be collected. Currently the section between Nijō Shikaka Interchange and Minamihata Taniguchi Interchange, Yamashiro Kubara Interchange and Imabuku Interchange, and Saza Interchange and Sasebo Daitō Interchange operates according to this principle.

The expressway is four lanes wide from Fukushige Junction to Higashi Intersection (temporary interchange) and Saza Interchange to Sasebo Chūō Interchange, and two lanes for all remaining sections.

History

edit
  • March 24, 1988, a section from Sasebo Daitō to Hasami Arita Interchanges was opened to traffic.
  • November 30, 1989, a section from Hasami Arita to Takeo Minami Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • January 26, 1990, a section from Takeo Minami Interchange to Takeo Junction was opened to traffic with another freeway.
  • March 26, 1993, a section from Susenji Interchange to Higashi Intersection (temporary interchange) was opened to traffic.
  • April 17, 1998, a section from Sasebo Minato to Sasebo Daitō Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • September 26, 1998, a section from Jyūrokuchō to Susenji Interchanges was opened to traffic.
  • October 13, 2001, a section from Fukushige Junction to Jyūrokuchō Interchange was opened to traffic with another freeway.
  • November 2003, a section from Fukushige Junction to Maebaru Interchange which made with four lanes.
  • December 18, 2005, a section from Hamatama to Karatsu Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • December 12, 2009, a section from Nijō Shikaka to Hamatama Interchange was opened to traffic with another freeway.
  • March 20, 2010, a section from Ainoura Nakazato to Sasebo Minato Interchanges was opened to traffic.
  • February 26, 2011, a section from Fukushige Junction to the east was opened with other freeway.
  • September 13, 2011, a section from Saza to Ainoura Nakazato Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • March 24, 2012, a section from Karatsu to Karatsu Chichika Yamada Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • March 23, 2013, a section from Karatsu Chichika Yamada to Kitahata Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • February 1, 2015, a section from Kitahata to Minamihata Taniguchi Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • March 14, 2015, a section from Yamashiro Kubara to Imabuku Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • November 5, 2017, a section from Imabuku to Tsukinokawa Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • March 31, 2018, a section from Minamihata Taniguchi to Imari Higashi Interchange was opened to traffic.
  • December 15, 2018, a section from Tsukinokawa to Matsuura Interchange was opened to traffic.

Interchanges

edit
No. Name Connections Dist.
from
Origin
Bus
stop
Notes Location
JCT Fukushige JCT Fukuoka Expressway Ring Route 0.0 Fukuoka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka
Jyūrokuchō IC   National Route 202 (Imajuku Road) 0.8 Sasebo-bound entrance
2.0 Sasebo-bound exit
TB/PA Fukuoka Nishi TB/PA 2.1
Imajuku IC   National Route 202 (Imajuku Road) 3.5 For Fukuoka only
Susenji IC 6.6 For Sasebo only
TB Maebaru TB 12.1 Itoshima
Maebaru IC 12.6 For Fukuoka only
Higashi Intersection (temporary interchange)   National Route 202 (Imajuku Road)
Pref. Route 573 (Hon Kafuri Teishajō Route)
14.2
Nijō IC Pref. Route 49 (Onojō Nijō Route) Planned
Planned route
Through to   National Route 202 Nijō Hamatama Road
Nijō Shikaka IC 0.0
Hamatama IC   National Route 323 3.8 Saga Karatsu
Karatsu IC Pref. Route 40 (Hamatama Ōchi Route)
Pref. Route 258 (Handa Onizuka Route)
Saga Karatsu Road (planned)
10.4
Karatsu Chichika Yamada IC Pref. Route 320 (Chichika Kōda Route) 14.9
Kitahata IC Pref. Route 50 (Karatsu Kitahata Route) 18.4
Minamihata Taniguchi IC Pref. Route 297 (Shioya Omagari Route) 23.2 Imari
Imari Hagashi IC   National Route 202 28.5
Planned route
Imari Naka IC Planned
Imari Nishi IC   National Route 204 Planned
Kusuku IC Pref. Route 5 (Imari Matsuura Route) Planned
Yamashiro Kubara IC   National Route 204 0.0
Imabuku IC   National Route 204 5.5 Nagasaki Matsuura
Tsukinokawa IC 8.1 For Fukuoka only
Matsuura IC   National Route 204 (Matsuura Bypass) 10.3
Planned route
Hirado Mikuriya Emukae IC Planned Nagasaki Sasebo
Emukae Shikamachi IC Planned
8 Saza IC 38.9 Saza
7 Ainoura Nakazato IC Pref. Route 11 (Sasebo Hino Matsuura Route) 34.9 Sasebo
6 Sasebo Chūō IC Pref. Route 11 (Sasebo Hino Matsuura Route) 29.9
5 Sasebo Minato IC Pref. Route 11 (Sasebo Hino Matsuura Route)
Pref. Route 26 (Sasebo Port Route)
27.0 For Takeo only
4 Sasebo Daitō IC/TB   National Route 205 (Hario Bypass) 22.1
3 Sasebo Mikawachi IC/TB   National Route 35 14.8
2 Hasami Arita IC Pref. Route 4 (Kawatana Arita Route) 10.1 Hasami
1 Takeo Minami IC/TB   National Route 34 0.0 For Fukuoka only Saga Takeo
6 Takeo JCT   Nagasaki Expressway 0.7