Japan government subsidizes tollroad travel as financial 'stimulus' (http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4081)
The "subsidy" now maxes tolls at 1,000 yen regardless of the distance traveled.
This other article is a summary of a Japanese blogger's experience of the gridlock produced by the lowered tolls.
Blogger Taro in Japan highlights downside of politicians' deep discount on toll rates (http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4083)
OK. What does everyone here think?
Toll roads in Japan were known for being outrageously expensive, but I understand that. I don't think lowering tolls was a great idea, Japan is soooo densely populated traffic must be a nightmare, especially now that more people can jam the roads.
Toll roads need to at least make more money than they spend. If not, you're tolling the wrong road or mismanaging the system. If they can turn a profit with these lower tolls, I support it. If not, pick one of the former two options. But increased traffic means that part of the money they make needs to go into widening the road or other forms of congestion management. So that eats into the profits and will likely turn them into deficits in the end.
Japanese tolls are quite high, but the infrastructure is impressive, the Shuto network is almost completely elevated, as are networks in Osaka/Kobe. Besides that, Japan has a very extensive public transportation network. But this all comes at a high price for the government, I read somewhere Japanese public works spends more than the Pentagon. Maybe that's also why Japan has the highest public deficit of the world (192% of GDP)
Thats ridiculously Expensive, that basically pushes 90 % of the population onto other roads and non tollways creating endless jams!
Comparatively few people in Japan drive or even own a car, the country is too densely populated to allow for expansive car ownership and so it is discouraged. The tolls are insane on structures and bridges, I took the Tokyo Aqua-Line and paid $30 for the privilege. However, it saved me two or three hours (depending on traffic) and it was worth the money.
The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge was $20 or something, I dont remember specifically, but it also saved me two or three hours on a ferry. I didnt think the regular toll plaza rates were all that expensive. Its also hard to determine what is expensive when everything costs in the many thousands of yen, though.
The Expressways in Tokyo are awesome, they wind through skyscrapers 7 stories off the ground and have awesome views. The traffic (on the B- , C2-, and C1- at least) was never that bad for it being the largest city on earth.
There are some Japan blog posts at blog.aaroads.com. Also, most of Tokyo and Osaka's Expressways are on Google Street View now.
Japan is awesome. Check these HD videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/cat2525jp):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBJNy7Zht2Y (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBJNy7Zht2Y)
Yeah I honestly think about going back there every day. There are civil engineering and roadways there that would absolutely blow your mind.
Also, driving on the left is far more fun than the right. Ha.
Tokyo is getting a beltway and when I was there two years ago it was about 70% done. They're building it around to the west side now. That was the only big freeway project in the country that I can think of at that time.
Look at this for instance. This is that beltway, and a new interchange is being build in the yellow zone. Such things would be unthinkable of in Europe.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toshiseibi.metro.tokyo.jp%2Fbosai%2Fbunjyou%2Ftown%2Fimages%2Fohasi_photo2.jpg&hash=3e3130e2ed95203aa320d4112ab9769def843b7f)
Osaka; an expressway through a building!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ff.hatena.ne.jp%2Fimages%2Ffotolife%2Fy%2Fyasai%2F20050314%2F20050314223630.jpg&hash=7c30af690904ccbba5dbbcbd8643170ad6e9732c)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ff.hatena.ne.jp%2Fimages%2Ffotolife%2Fy%2Fyasai%2F20050314%2F20050314223657.jpg&hash=8844d131fd07bfe89ecd5a9c31a57f3a6731a9af)
Tokyo:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmw2.google.com%2Fmw-panoramio%2Fphotos%2Fmedium%2F11389778.jpg&hash=8451079c71f8d00c715b08eb9037988c263e1886)
4 levels? No problem!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm3.static.flickr.com%2F2322%2F2148200717_62b517f12d_o.jpg&hash=9c6dfaeecd355e2dbe464f23b0fe91921bf7a86a)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm2.static.flickr.com%2F1123%2F1135229862_592591b094_o.jpg&hash=3548e30e7e626514fad31aa3e1f3ad099c461a91)
I've always been a huge fan of Japanese civil engineering. That interchange on the bottom there is really impressive.
:clap:
If they want to build a road, they don't think about cost or difficulty, do they? It appears that they are masters, though, at building roads around buildings (and in at least one case, through them!)
Quote from: Chris on May 23, 2009, 10:22:51 AM
Look at this for instance. This is that beltway, and a new interchange is being build in the yellow zone. Such things would be unthinkable of in Europe.
Unfortunately, the same can be said for most of the US now.
Quote from: Chris4 levels? No problem!
Boy I'd love to see that design used in a few spots of the US.
I think we could definitely take lessons from the Japanese for our urban freeways, but add some cost efficiency to it, so we're not in even more massive crumbling debt.
MAXIMUM BUMP
Though I am not able to find any information on the project, I just discovered this road project in the Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, which evidently took like twenty years to complete.
It's basically a 600-metre long four-lane street that connects two roads that previously turned at those intersections. Where the road currently runs, a ton of buildings used to stand. I made this GIF to illustrate the changes:
(https://i.imgur.com/Nbgn4ca.gif)
Google Maps Link: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7050066,139.7451413,601m/data=!3m1!1e3
You're probably thinking, "what's the big deal?" Well, that's fair. What I find interesting is that, in 1997, you can already start to see the outline of the road on the right side of the image; that section of road wouldn't open until late 2008, so this was something they had been planning for a while. But I also find it remarkable how many buildings had to be removed to build the arterial. IIRC, the value of older Japanese homes is fairly low compared to newer homes, so in time, the buildings became sufficiently low in value as to be expropriated for purposes of road construction. Nevertheless, that's a lot of buildings in the way of a road that's only 600-metres long!
Mass expropriation for highway infrastructure is still pretty common in Asia.
A quarter of a million people had to be resettled for the construction of an expressway in Karachi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyari_Expressway_Resettlement_Project
Quote from: Chris on February 26, 2020, 04:13:45 AM
Mass expropriation for highway infrastructure is still pretty common in Asia.
A quarter of a million people had to be resettled for the construction of an expressway in Karachi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyari_Expressway_Resettlement_Project
I wouldn't want to suggest that expropriation was in any way unusual in Asia, although I don't strongly associate the practice with Japan, especially in areas with such high density.
That said, I am aware that even Japan does continue to expand their expressway network (with the Gaikan Expressway being the latest example from what I can tell). Maybe, in my head, I was thinking that new arterial roads (non-expressways) were less common.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_in_Japan
Japan has an unusual system where houses (both wooden and concrete) have a fixed lifespan and are supposedly torn down after 20 or 30 years. If they don't renew plans, perhaps this means that acquiring a right of way might be easier than elsewhere, provided you wait long enough for those lifespans to expire.
Quote from: Chris on February 26, 2020, 05:28:28 AM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_in_Japan
Japan has an unusual system where houses (both wooden and concrete) have a fixed lifespan and are supposedly torn down after 20 or 30 years. If they don't renew plans, perhaps this means that acquiring a right of way might be easier than elsewhere, provided you wait long enough for those lifespans to expire.
I was just reading about this the other day. Seems like an easy way to acquire housing!
Then again, I've heard that this practice is winding down
a little. Consider me interested in how this changing practice might affect the Japanese Government's ability to acquire land for public use.
I find it quite crazy that Japanese houses are meant to last only 20-30 years! Seems like a waste of resources to only build houses to last that long.
Quote from: compdude787 on March 02, 2020, 03:59:01 PM
I find it quite crazy that Japanese houses are meant to last only 20-30 years! Seems like a waste of resources to only build houses to last that long.
I'm still confused with regards to durability. I don't know if Japanese homes, and other structures, are designed to only last 20 or 30 years. Or, if it's just that the nominal value of these structures after 20 or 30 years is so low, that even if they were designed to last longer, there's no point in keeping them as their value is virtually nought.
I do know that prefab homes are very popular in Japan. I would guess that these structures aren't designed to last as long as a regular home.
Quote from: jakeroot on March 02, 2020, 04:24:14 PM
Quote from: compdude787 on March 02, 2020, 03:59:01 PM
I find it quite crazy that Japanese houses are meant to last only 20-30 years! Seems like a waste of resources to only build houses to last that long.
I'm still confused with regards to durability. I don't know if Japanese homes, and other structures, are designed to only last 20 or 30 years. Or, if it's just that the nominal value of these structures after 20 or 30 years is so low, that even if they were designed to last longer, there's no point in keeping them as their value is virtually nought.
I do know that prefab homes are very popular in Japan. I would guess that these structures aren't designed to last as long as a regular home.
"Unlike in other countries, Japanese homes gradually depreciate over time, becoming completely valueless within 20 or 30 years. When someone moves out of a home or dies, the house, unlike the land it sits on, has no resale value and is typically demolished. This scrap-and-build approach is a quirk of the Japanese housing market that can be explained variously by low-quality construction to quickly meet demand after the second world war, repeated building code revisions to improve earthquake resilience and a cycle of poor maintenance due to the lack of any incentive to make homes marketable for resale."
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/16/japan-reusable-housing-revolution (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/16/japan-reusable-housing-revolution)
Quote from: Alps on March 02, 2020, 09:24:49 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on March 02, 2020, 04:24:14 PM
Quote from: compdude787 on March 02, 2020, 03:59:01 PM
I find it quite crazy that Japanese houses are meant to last only 20-30 years! Seems like a waste of resources to only build houses to last that long.
I'm still confused with regards to durability. I don't know if Japanese homes, and other structures, are designed to only last 20 or 30 years. Or, if it's just that the nominal value of these structures after 20 or 30 years is so low, that even if they were designed to last longer, there's no point in keeping them as their value is virtually nought.
I do know that prefab homes are very popular in Japan. I would guess that these structures aren't designed to last as long as a regular home.
"Unlike in other countries, Japanese homes gradually depreciate over time, becoming completely valueless within 20 or 30 years. When someone moves out of a home or dies, the house, unlike the land it sits on, has no resale value and is typically demolished. This scrap-and-build approach is a quirk of the Japanese housing market that can be explained variously by low-quality construction to quickly meet demand after the second world war, repeated building code revisions to improve earthquake resilience and a cycle of poor maintenance due to the lack of any incentive to make homes marketable for resale."
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/16/japan-reusable-housing-revolution (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/16/japan-reusable-housing-revolution)
Thanks. I was driving earlier and didn't have time to actually Google it. Lots of homes that I see on Google and in videos seem decently well-built, but I'm sure IRL would tell a different story.
Seems to me that it might be a cycle that could eventually end, assuming earthquake standards eventually peak and/or earthquake standards become too expensive to remove only 20 years after their initial inclusion.
It's interesting how freeways and extensive public transit are able to coexist peacefully in the metropolises across Japan, especially Tokyo which I visited in mid-January. I wonder why we can't do that here in the US.
Japan has an incredible public debt, at 223% of GDP, which is by far the highest in the world, there are very few countries that have even half that rate. It's almost three times the U.S. public debt (relative to economy).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_public_debt
Quote from: Buffaboy on March 22, 2020, 10:17:05 PM
It's interesting how freeways and extensive public transit are able to coexist peacefully in the metropolises across Japan, especially Tokyo which I visited in mid-January. I wonder why we can't do that here in the US.
It's a very homogenous society; if something stands to benefit the majority, my understanding is that most Japanese people will support it.
As I've learned in my transport courses at university, society doesn't benefit from transport networks that don't have some degree of redundancy (to absorb "shock"). Japan's major cities have incredibly redundancy; as far as I know, Tokyo offers all forms of transportation. If one mode gets overloaded, there's capacity elsewhere to absorb it. This redundancy is beneficial to everyone, even if someone only uses bikes and subways to get to work.
This is all wonderful, although they are apparently suffering from incredible levels of debt (^^^^) building such infrastructure.
Here is a cool roadgeek ride from the 1980's in Japan. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wSbNnVs90E)
Quote from: jakeroot on March 23, 2020, 04:25:27 PM
Quote from: Buffaboy on March 22, 2020, 10:17:05 PM
It's interesting how freeways and extensive public transit are able to coexist peacefully in the metropolises across Japan, especially Tokyo which I visited in mid-January. I wonder why we can't do that here in the US.
It's a very homogenous society; if something stands to benefit the majority, my understanding is that most Japanese people will support it.
As I've learned in my transport courses at university, society doesn't benefit from transport networks that don't have some degree of redundancy (to absorb "shock"). Japan's major cities have incredibly redundancy; as far as I know, Tokyo offers all forms of transportation. If one mode gets overloaded, there's capacity elsewhere to absorb it. This redundancy is beneficial to everyone, even if someone only uses bikes and subways to get to work.
This is all wonderful, although they are apparently suffering from incredible levels of debt (^^^^) building such infrastructure.
I gotta ask, does any Japanese city have anywhere
near as many freeway lane-miles per capita as any U.S. city that isn't New York? It's a loaded question because, despite my admitted lack of thorough quantitative research on the subject, I highly doubt it.
(Also, I'm jealous that you took
multiple courses in transport. I didn't even have
one that was fully dedicated to the subject.)
Quote from: stridentweasel on August 03, 2020, 06:12:10 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on March 23, 2020, 04:25:27 PM
Quote from: Buffaboy on March 22, 2020, 10:17:05 PM
It's interesting how freeways and extensive public transit are able to coexist peacefully in the metropolises across Japan, especially Tokyo which I visited in mid-January. I wonder why we can't do that here in the US.
It's a very homogenous society; if something stands to benefit the majority, my understanding is that most Japanese people will support it.
As I've learned in my transport courses at university, society doesn't benefit from transport networks that don't have some degree of redundancy (to absorb "shock"). Japan's major cities have incredibly redundancy; as far as I know, Tokyo offers all forms of transportation. If one mode gets overloaded, there's capacity elsewhere to absorb it. This redundancy is beneficial to everyone, even if someone only uses bikes and subways to get to work.
This is all wonderful, although they are apparently suffering from incredible levels of debt (^^^^) building such infrastructure.
I gotta ask, does any Japanese city have anywhere near as many freeway lane-miles per capita as any U.S. city that isn't New York? It's a loaded question because, despite my admitted lack of thorough quantitative research on the subject, I highly doubt it.
(Also, I'm jealous that you took multiple courses in transport. I didn't even have one that was fully dedicated to the subject.)
I did see this comment. Pardon the slow reply. "Transport courses" = two, for the record :-D (an Urban Planning course, and a Transport Planning course).
It's really hard to say. I don't know how many lane-miles of freeway there are in my city, nevermind some Japanese city.
But, based on what I know about Japan, they do have a surprising number of expressways. It's just that, by and large, they aren't 10 lanes in each direction. There are exceptions, like the Osaka CBD Ring Road that has four to five lanes in each direction, because it's a one-way sort of orbital road around the center of Osaka, but most freeways are fairly narrow, with 4 to 6 lanes max.
Japan doesn't view road travel, at least within built-up areas, as the most important transport method. For example, in Osaka (the city below -- note how many freeways there are), private vehicles account for a mere 18% of the modal share. The vast majority either walk, ride bikes, or use public transport, or some combination thereof.
I would guess that the average Japanese city isn't far off some American cities in terms of the overall number of freeways constructed, but they differ not just in financing methods (lots of tolls in Japan), but also how wide they are. As cities grew, the focus was not on adding more lanes or improving bottlenecks, but primarily on growing the public transport network and constructing urban areas that encouraged alternative transport methods. We did not do this in the US, so we instead focus on weird metrics like "freeway lane miles per capita". It's not that it's a silly metric, but it's just not important in places like Japan where, by and large, freeways just aren't the main transport mode.
(https://i.imgur.com/vzAvsUL.png)
Quote from: jakeroot on August 07, 2020, 12:58:51 PM
Japan doesn't view road travel, at least within built-up areas, as the most important transport method. For example, in Osaka (the city below -- note how many freeways there are), private vehicles account for a mere 18% of the modal share. The vast majority either walk, ride bikes, or use public transport, or some combination thereof.
I suspect the 18% share is the modal split in the number of trips, and not the traveled distance, or it only applies to the central municipality and not the urban / metropolitan area. This statistic is popular in some urban planning circles to dismiss the relevance of urban road infrastructure. However the share as a number of trips exaggerates walking, it basically equals a 5 minute walk to a 40 kilometer train or car journey, which obviously puts a different amount of stress on a transportation system.
In Japan, driving accounts for 60% of traveled kilometers, see: https://www.mlit.go.jp/road/road_e/statistics.html
Many sources like statista (https://www.statista.com/statistics/626747/japan-domestic-passenger-transport-volume-share-by-mode/) present erroneous figures from the Japan statistical yearbook (https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/nenkan/69nenkan/index.html), where passenger kilometers by road only includes business usage and not private usage.
You know, a thought just crossed my mind regarding I-81 in Syracuse, NY... why do freeways seem to work out better in terms of land usage in Japan than they do here in the U.S.? When I was in Tokyo I was in awe by the fact that the Shibuya area is laced with freeways, but on the ground you almost don't even notice them. Perhaps the only place in the U.S. with these kinds of freeways is New York City.
Edit: I actually forgot I asked a similar question above, haha, but I still think that the land usage of I-81 is dated.
Quote from: Buffaboy on August 27, 2020, 09:45:49 PM
You know, a thought just crossed my mind regarding I-81 in Syracuse, NY... why do freeways seem to work out better in terms of land usage in Japan than they do here in the U.S.? When I was in Tokyo I was in awe by the fact that the Shibuya area is laced with freeways, but on the ground you almost don't even notice them. Perhaps the only place in the U.S. with these kinds of freeways is New York City.
Edit: I actually forgot I asked a similar question above, haha, but I still think that the land usage of I-81 is dated.
You don't notice them in NYC? Tell that to Crotona Park.
Quote from: Alps on August 28, 2020, 12:55:45 AM
Quote from: Buffaboy on August 27, 2020, 09:45:49 PM
You know, a thought just crossed my mind regarding I-81 in Syracuse, NY... why do freeways seem to work out better in terms of land usage in Japan than they do here in the U.S.? When I was in Tokyo I was in awe by the fact that the Shibuya area is laced with freeways, but on the ground you almost don't even notice them. Perhaps the only place in the U.S. with these kinds of freeways is New York City.
Edit: I actually forgot I asked a similar question above, haha, but I still think that the land usage of I-81 is dated.
You don't notice them in NYC? Tell that to Crotona Park.
Yeah you have a point. I was really referring to the Gowanus Expy because it's raised over the street like many expressways in Japan.
But I've never been east of the East River, so what do I know :-D.
Quote from: jakeroot on August 07, 2020, 12:58:51 PM
Quote from: stridentweasel on August 03, 2020, 06:12:10 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on March 23, 2020, 04:25:27 PM
Quote from: Buffaboy on March 22, 2020, 10:17:05 PM
It's interesting how freeways and extensive public transit are able to coexist peacefully in the metropolises across Japan, especially Tokyo which I visited in mid-January. I wonder why we can't do that here in the US.
It's a very homogenous society; if something stands to benefit the majority, my understanding is that most Japanese people will support it.
As I've learned in my transport courses at university, society doesn't benefit from transport networks that don't have some degree of redundancy (to absorb "shock"). Japan's major cities have incredibly redundancy; as far as I know, Tokyo offers all forms of transportation. If one mode gets overloaded, there's capacity elsewhere to absorb it. This redundancy is beneficial to everyone, even if someone only uses bikes and subways to get to work.
This is all wonderful, although they are apparently suffering from incredible levels of debt (^^^^) building such infrastructure.
I gotta ask, does any Japanese city have anywhere near as many freeway lane-miles per capita as any U.S. city that isn't New York? It's a loaded question because, despite my admitted lack of thorough quantitative research on the subject, I highly doubt it.
(Also, I'm jealous that you took multiple courses in transport. I didn't even have one that was fully dedicated to the subject.)
I did see this comment. Pardon the slow reply. "Transport courses" = two, for the record :-D (an Urban Planning course, and a Transport Planning course).
It's really hard to say. I don't know how many lane-miles of freeway there are in my city, nevermind some Japanese city.
But, based on what I know about Japan, they do have a surprising number of expressways. It's just that, by and large, they aren't 10 lanes in each direction. There are exceptions, like the Osaka CBD Ring Road that has four to five lanes in each direction, because it's a one-way sort of orbital road around the center of Osaka, but most freeways are fairly narrow, with 4 to 6 lanes max.
Japan doesn't view road travel, at least within built-up areas, as the most important transport method. For example, in Osaka (the city below -- note how many freeways there are), private vehicles account for a mere 18% of the modal share. The vast majority either walk, ride bikes, or use public transport, or some combination thereof.
I would guess that the average Japanese city isn't far off some American cities in terms of the overall number of freeways constructed, but they differ not just in financing methods (lots of tolls in Japan), but also how wide they are. As cities grew, the focus was not on adding more lanes or improving bottlenecks, but primarily on growing the public transport network and constructing urban areas that encouraged alternative transport methods. We did not do this in the US, so we instead focus on weird metrics like "freeway lane miles per capita". It's not that it's a silly metric, but it's just not important in places like Japan where, by and large, freeways just aren't the main transport mode.
(https://i.imgur.com/vzAvsUL.png)
That answers my question. IMO they did it the right way over there!
Quote from: Buffaboy on August 28, 2020, 01:09:40 AM
That answers my question. IMO they did it the right way over there!
You may want to consider Chris' response to my post (a few above). I'm not 100% convinced by his response, but I have no legitimate argument to refute what he said.
Quote from: jakeroot on March 23, 2020, 04:25:27 PM
Quote from: Buffaboy on March 22, 2020, 10:17:05 PM
It's interesting how freeways and extensive public transit are able to coexist peacefully in the metropolises across Japan, especially Tokyo which I visited in mid-January. I wonder why we can't do that here in the US.
It's a very homogenous society; if something stands to benefit the majority, my understanding is that most Japanese people will support it.
As I've learned in my transport courses at university, society doesn't benefit from transport networks that don't have some degree of redundancy (to absorb "shock"). Japan's major cities have incredibly redundancy; as far as I know, Tokyo offers all forms of transportation. If one mode gets overloaded, there's capacity elsewhere to absorb it. This redundancy is beneficial to everyone, even if someone only uses bikes and subways to get to work.
This is all wonderful, although they are apparently suffering from incredible levels of debt (^^^^) building such infrastructure.
There are exceptions of course. Prominent examples are Narita Airport (some planned runways were never built) and Kansai Airport (original alternative is near where Kobe Airport is right now).
Here is a tour of the Osaka Area.
Here is another tour on Japan's scenic roads.
Tour of Osaka (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irD8iripr1k)
Here is a roadgeek tour of Kobe.
Very cool roadgeek tour. :)
In the first opening credits of the anime "You're Under Arrest", at around 1:37 in the clip of the opening, they show a freeway over one of Tokyo bays, I wonder which freeway is it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7eVX9uYoyU
Quote from: Stephane Dumas on October 24, 2020, 12:29:10 PM
In the first opening credits of the anime "You're Under Arrest", at around 1:37 in the clip of the opening, they show a freeway over one of Tokyo bays, I wonder which freeway is it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7eVX9uYoyU
It doesn't seem real (ignoring that anime is, naturally, not real, although sometimes based on real life). The closest equivalent seems to be the Bayshore Route, considering its straightness and that it doesn't stray away from land like the bridge portion of the Aqua Line, but it's not a giant bridge like in the opening.
Here is a tour of Tokyo Freeways at night.
Here is a night tour of Kobe and it features a double decked freeway at the start of the video.
Here is more tours of freeways in Japan.
Dashcam Roadshow does a tour on Fukuoka freeways.
The Shin-Tomei Expressway (E1A) is now striped for six lanes with a 120 km/h speed limit between Gotemba and Hamamatsu:
(https://i.imgur.com/CaUPfIe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EgPMTcd.jpg)
Here is another tour of Japan.
Here is a tour of Osaka to Kobe area freeways.
Tour of Tokyo on the Metro expressway.
Here is a Hiroshima Road Tour.
Here is a city tour of Tokyo.
Here is another video from Kagoshima and from Tokyo.
Cool City tours in Japan.
Here are some roadgeek tours from Japan.
Here are tours of Nagano and Tokyo.
Here is a tour from the area of the Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOP3RPrnLk
Quote from: bing101 on July 23, 2021, 10:53:46 AM
Here is a tour from the area of the Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOP3RPrnLk
Unfortunately, I forgot the timestamp, but somewhere on this video, you see a six aspect signal where a red ball, green left arrow and green straight arrow are displayed. It was a little disconcerting to see people proceed at full speed on a red ball, but obviously the red ball controls the right turn (against opposing traffic in Japan and other left side countries) and the green arrows control the straight and left movements.
Quote from: mrsman on August 08, 2021, 06:50:33 PM
Quote from: bing101 on July 23, 2021, 10:53:46 AM
Here is a tour from the area of the Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOP3RPrnLk
Unfortunately, I forgot the timestamp, but somewhere on this video, you see a six aspect signal where a red ball, green left arrow and green straight arrow are displayed. It was a little disconcerting to see people proceed at full speed on a red ball, but obviously the red ball controls the right turn (against opposing traffic in Japan and other left side countries) and the green arrows control the straight and left movements.
I'm noticing this right around the 21:00 mark.
This is basically how Japan does protected-only signals. Unlike American signals, however, the green arrows do not immediately mean "protected movement". As you can see in the video, left turns still have to yield to the crosswalk on a green left arrow. Of course, it may be that left-facing green arrows mean "movement in this direction permitted", not protected, apart from right turn green arrows (which are protected).
I do wish Japan would innovate a little in the signal area. The current setup is fine if there is no intent to ever use protected phasing. And to be fair, Japan rarely used protected-only phasing, even at double or triple right turns, so there was rarely a reason to innovate. But if they intend to make this more common, they should consider using maybe flashing yellow arrows or something. The current setup is a little awkward.
So what keeps the Japanese from rioting over these outrageous tolls? Do they just accept that highways are expensive to build in a mountainous, earthquake-prone country?
Quote from: kernals12 on February 16, 2022, 07:48:55 AM
So what keeps the Japanese from rioting over these outrageous tolls? Do they just accept that highways are expensive to build in a mountainous, earthquake-prone country?
Same reason we don't riot here.
Quote from: Rothman on February 16, 2022, 07:54:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on February 16, 2022, 07:48:55 AM
So what keeps the Japanese from rioting over these outrageous tolls? Do they just accept that highways are expensive to build in a mountainous, earthquake-prone country?
Same reason we don't riot here.
Same reason we don't riot in the US for a lack of public transportation. We've become used to it, and there are alternatives.
It is far more economical to take the train in Japan for a single person travelling to almost anywhere in the country. Highways are mostly used by families on vacation (when the train becomes too expensive or crowded during holidays), buses and some delivery trucks. Rarely does a single driver commute by car over the toll roads; these roads are not meant to handle commuting like US highways.
Quote from: jakeroot on August 08, 2021, 10:22:30 PM
Quote from: mrsman on August 08, 2021, 06:50:33 PM
Quote from: bing101 on July 23, 2021, 10:53:46 AM
Here is a tour from the area of the Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOP3RPrnLk
Unfortunately, I forgot the timestamp, but somewhere on this video, you see a six aspect signal where a red ball, green left arrow and green straight arrow are displayed. It was a little disconcerting to see people proceed at full speed on a red ball, but obviously the red ball controls the right turn (against opposing traffic in Japan and other left side countries) and the green arrows control the straight and left movements.
I'm noticing this right around the 21:00 mark.
This is basically how Japan does protected-only signals. Unlike American signals, however, the green arrows do not immediately mean "protected movement". As you can see in the video, left turns still have to yield to the crosswalk on a green left arrow. Of course, it may be that left-facing green arrows mean "movement in this direction permitted", not protected, apart from right turn green arrows (which are protected).
I do wish Japan would innovate a little in the signal area. The current setup is fine if there is no intent to ever use protected phasing. And to be fair, Japan rarely used protected-only phasing, even at double or triple right turns, so there was rarely a reason to innovate. But if they intend to make this more common, they should consider using maybe flashing yellow arrows or something. The current setup is a little awkward.
Wonder if Japan, with the signals running protected-only phasing, if they run any kind of lead-lag phasing at all, and/or if they have any kind of yellow trap issues there?
In the video, it appears that their PPRT signals run the permissive phase first (yield on circular green), then run lag-lag operation before running phasing on the cross street. Not sure if Japan uses any kind of leading lefts at all with PPRT and/or if their signals are pre-timed (no gap-out if an approach is out of vehicles)...
Quote from: westerninterloper on February 16, 2022, 03:59:50 PM
Quote from: Rothman on February 16, 2022, 07:54:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on February 16, 2022, 07:48:55 AM
So what keeps the Japanese from rioting over these outrageous tolls? Do they just accept that highways are expensive to build in a mountainous, earthquake-prone country?
Same reason we don't riot here.
Same reason we don't riot in the US for a lack of public transportation. We've become used to it, and there are alternatives.
It is far more economical to take the train in Japan for a single person travelling to almost anywhere in the country. Highways are mostly used by families on vacation (when the train becomes too expensive or crowded during holidays), buses and some delivery trucks. Rarely does a single driver commute by car over the toll roads; these roads are not meant to handle commuting like US highways.
And because their systems have been in place for very long time. No reason to oppose.
In United States, there is often opposition to any Infrastructure Project, and costs can be expensive to build particularly a National Passenger Rail Network. It is one of the reasons why I welcome Beautiful Toll Roads and driving often on them.
Quote from: fwydriver405 on March 16, 2022, 03:25:12 AM
Wonder if Japan, with the signals running protected-only phasing, if they run any kind of lead-lag phasing at all, and/or if they have any kind of yellow trap issues there?
In the video, it appears that their PPRT signals run the permissive phase first (yield on circular green), then run lag-lag operation before running phasing on the cross street. Not sure if Japan uses any kind of leading lefts at all with PPRT and/or if their signals are pre-timed (no gap-out if an approach is out of vehicles)...
From what I can tell from the videos I've seen, signals seem pre-timed and not based on any sort of actuation, apart from by pedestrians at certain intersections (from research, "automatic walk" seems to be the norm).
To us, this seems really ass-backwards, especially for a tech-forward country like Japan. But they do have a few differences from us. First, the vast majority of right turns (across traffic) are permissive, even those with two or three lanes, and it seems assumed that, at these intersections, the solid green cycle will allow most traffic to turn. So, the green arrow, which again is at the end pretty much everywhere I've seen, is relatively short. So most intersections effectively operate with two phases, with a short green arrow at the end
if necessary -- many junctions are fully permissive. Second, many areas have lots of pedestrians, so vehicle-actuated signals would get very annoying for pedestrians, so pre-timed signals seem to be preferred as a result.
All this said, I would really love to visit Japan and see for myself more about how everything works because these are all just my guesses from what I can see in videos and on Street View.
Quote from: In_Correct on March 16, 2022, 03:57:52 AM
Quote from: westerninterloper on February 16, 2022, 03:59:50 PM
Quote from: Rothman on February 16, 2022, 07:54:42 AM
Quote from: kernals12 on February 16, 2022, 07:48:55 AM
So what keeps the Japanese from rioting over these outrageous tolls? Do they just accept that highways are expensive to build in a mountainous, earthquake-prone country?
Same reason we don't riot here.
Same reason we don't riot in the US for a lack of public transportation. We've become used to it, and there are alternatives.
It is far more economical to take the train in Japan for a single person travelling to almost anywhere in the country. Highways are mostly used by families on vacation (when the train becomes too expensive or crowded during holidays), buses and some delivery trucks. Rarely does a single driver commute by car over the toll roads; these roads are not meant to handle commuting like US highways.
And because their systems have been in place for very long time. No reason to oppose.
In United States, there is often opposition to any Infrastructure Project, and costs can be expensive to build particularly a National Passenger Rail Network. It is one of the reasons why I welcome Beautiful Toll Roads and driving often on them.
I'm starting to come around to tolled roads for the very reason they can circumvent the bullshit ass endless red tape the FHWA makes DOTs clear.
I noticed this junction in Tokyo has both vertical and horizontal signals. Horizontal in the standard places, vertical in the median (only installed recently):
https://goo.gl/maps/8X8phRdYX1C2cekH7
Does anyone here know anything about Okinawa?
I'm moving there at the end of this month. I've been doing a ton of research, but would love to know more if anyone can add anything.
Quote from: jakeroot on October 08, 2022, 05:45:44 PM
Does anyone here know anything about Okinawa?
I'm moving there at the end of this month. I've been doing a ton of research, but would love to know more if anyone can add anything.
Check out Miyagi-do Karate's dojo.
Quote from: Rothman on October 08, 2022, 08:25:55 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on October 08, 2022, 05:45:44 PM
Does anyone here know anything about Okinawa?
I'm moving there at the end of this month. I've been doing a ton of research, but would love to know more if anyone can add anything.
Check out Miyagi-do Karate's dojo.
I gotta catch up on that series.
Documentary about "730", or the day that Okinawa switched driving sides, from right to left, in 1978:
https://youtu.be/hKhoN-PncCA
Quote from: jakeroot on October 12, 2022, 07:30:38 PM
Quote from: Rothman on October 08, 2022, 08:25:55 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on October 08, 2022, 05:45:44 PM
Does anyone here know anything about Okinawa?
I'm moving there at the end of this month. I've been doing a ton of research, but would love to know more if anyone can add anything.
Check out Miyagi-do Karate's dojo.
I gotta catch up on that series.
It's been uneven, but I've enjoyed it overall.
Here is Dashcam Roadshow tour from Chiba to Tokyo.
Busy intersection outside the entrance to the Rycom Centre / Aeon Mall in Okinawa. Took this video myself:
https://youtu.be/D4G4L5GwJQU
Cross-post from another thread, possibly relevant here.
Quote from: jakeroot on November 07, 2022, 12:33:45 AM
I'm living in Japan now. Apart from a handful of intersections, at least here in Okinawa there are no protected right turns (Japan drives on the left, so right turns are across traffic). There are many right turns with two lanes as well, and these operate permissively just like the rest. I'm convinced there is at least one with three right turn lanes, but I haven't located one yet (I only know of one, in Tokyo). Here is an example near the Rycom Shopping Center (https://www.google.com/maps/@26.3164472,127.7936376,140m/data=!3m1!1e3), and one of the busiest intersections outside of Naha. It also has a westbound double left turn across the crosswalk; crossings in Japan are always concurrent with through traffic.
Most right turns have a dedicated box where traffic is designated to pull into while waiting to turn. If there is a gap, you are welcome to turn, although Japanese drivers are generally pretty conservative and don't shoot through tight gaps like back in the US. Especially because the protected phase is at the end, so there's not really a strict "need" to turn during the permissive phase. The waiting boxes are great because, effectively, half the turn is already complete when the green arrow comes on. You do have to be careful though, as the yellow lights are very short (maximum around 2 seconds, even at large intersections), so plenty of drivers are still coming at you when the green arrow comes on.
At some newer intersections, such as here in central Naha (https://goo.gl/maps/Jq66duV2tTtg8cQd8), the movement through the intersection is defined by dashed lines as well as colored pavement. In that example, the right turns following the blue pavement. This helps keep drivers in the lane as they turn, but seems much more effective than just using dashed lines when there is more than one turn lane. They are also used at single-lane turns when the turn is really long, such as here (https://goo.gl/maps/dxr3xWqG1uQMGhQ86).
Unrelated to double permissive turns, but just to give you some idea of how committed the Japanese are to permissive right turns: this three-level diamond has a single intersection beneath it that operates entirely permissive with a five-second all-red phase at the end (single turns only, though). You can have up to seven or eight cars in a single file line waiting to turn.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52483120019_349594f42d_o.jpg)
Okinawa Expy (E58) at Route 329 Bypass (https://flic.kr/p/2nXKH6D) by Jacob Root (https://www.flickr.com/photos/62537709@N03/), on Flickr
Good grief, those signal heads look like they'd be impossible to pick out in those giant intersections. You must be in hell :-D
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 07, 2022, 04:49:48 AM
Good grief, those signal heads look like they'd be impossible to pick out in those giant intersections. You must be in hell :-D
They've gotten better, some newer intersections now have up to three signal heads! Just incredible haha.
The typical Japanese intersection has one far left signal and one near right signal, both mounted overhead on those DC-style stubby mast arms. New intersections often have far right signals as well,
such as here (https://goo.gl/maps/RUwArc6UroHu31GKA).
As for the intersection above,
it's not good (https://goo.gl/maps/ipCTXSTbJfV6NuWr6). When you're waiting to turn right, at the waiting point, there is literally no signal in view. You have to watch for oncoming traffic to stop, or for the through signal on the parallel road to turn green; of course by that point, you've already had a red signal for at least five seconds, and now traffic is coming at you
and the six cars behind you, so it's best to be very observant! I saw that happen while I was observing the intersection, and it was one of the few times I've actually heard Japanese drivers use their horns, even though it was the poor guy at the front of the line who didn't notice it go red way off behind his left shoulder. I would give him the benefit of the doubt, but they were the only driver to make that mistake. It goes without saying that the intersection needs another supplemental signal on the far right of each approach.
One other thing I see here on wider roads: when there are U-turns permitted (which is everywhere unless it says otherwise), drivers will often make their own U-turn lanes. In my image above, the two Mazda sedans on the left of the image are both making U-turns to reach the Aeon Haebaru shopping center.
Slight derail: in Osaka 5 years ago I saw a guy in the distance with a National Route 58 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_National_Route_58) T-shirt (which the E58 expressway in jakeroot's post is based on).
Route 58 is the longest such route in Japan, but hops many islands between Okinawa and Kyushu; its distance over land is less than 1/3 the official length. That would be a fun (but difficult) route to clinch.
Quote from: kurumi on November 07, 2022, 12:02:59 PM
Slight derail: in Osaka 5 years ago I saw a guy in the distance with a National Route 58 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_National_Route_58) T-shirt (which the E58 expressway in jakeroot's post is based on).
Route 58 is the longest such route in Japan, but hops many islands between Okinawa and Kyushu; its distance over land is less than 1/3 the official length. That would be a fun (but difficult) route to clinch.
If they're counting sea miles it's not difficult, it's impossible. No ferry from this end: https://goo.gl/maps/GovA4qJdswBQvrX68
Been wondering about a few things about Japanese traffic control for a while...
1. How common are vertical traffic signals in Japan?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_53buWoCyHQ
2. What do the different crossbucks at many level crossings in Japan mean? I've seen four styles used, but not sure what they mean (or if those were installed by the different railroad companies in Japan):
Style 1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9hhC7vq23k), 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ9ifVmxUUw), 3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXVjdGPWNpg), 4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDqznTry9J4)
Quote from: fwydriver405 on November 08, 2022, 08:07:44 PM
Been wondering about a few things about Japanese traffic control for a while...
1. How common are vertical traffic signals in Japan?
Vertical signals are used when needed for visibility (
example here in Yonabaru (https://goo.gl/maps/rhoHVULib1DHuQJS9)), and also in snowy areas. I think they are quite common in Hokkaido. The intersection in your video, in Toyama, is in a snow belt.
...
Can't personally comment on your crossbuck question, there are no rail lines in Okinawa apart from the monorail so I can't go out and investigate for myself.
I do think it's realistic to assume that it could be related to the various JR organizations and their own design standards.
Cross-post from the Traffic Signal thread:
Quote from: jakeroot on November 14, 2022, 12:14:20 AM
I'm hoping to get some more photos and videos up, but I wanted to write a bit about Japanese traffic signal operations.
First, I want to talk about the design. Japan primarily uses horizontal signals outside of two situations: (1) snowy areas, or (2) signals placed in tight spots for additional visibility. Otherwise, signals are always horizontal. Because Japan drives on the left, the horizontal signals are opposite from what you'd see in the right-hand traffic countries. So, red is on the far right, closest to the inside of the road, with green on the outside. Arrows are also used, and are placed below the main lenses at horizontal signals, and to the right at vertical signals. The arrows are always green, no yellow arrows to be found here. Most four way intersections will have a right-facing green arrow, some with left turn lanes also have a left turn filter signal. T intersections never have green arrows, the protected phase has oncoming traffic stop on red, but there is no indication of this to turning traffic; Japanese law does not seem to allow a green arrow and green orb to be lit simultaneously. The signals themselves are either grey or dark brown. There have been three design "ages": incandescent signals, then LED signals with visors, and (presently) LED signals without a visor. The non-visor signals are single units, rather than individual signal faces.
Next, I want to talk about operations. Japan is...not the most creative when it comes to signal phasing. The standard phasing is very simple: through traffic and pedestrians have green simultaneous, turning traffic yields; this is followed by a green arrow for right turning traffic. The right turn green arrows always come on at the same time, for both directions, no matter what. Most four-way intersections with turn lanes will have this operation, though some do not have any protected phase (example here with a double right turn (https://goo.gl/maps/8vXWWRD3bmxsLXLz9)). Three-way intersections, for traffic turning right off the top of the T, also typically get a protected phase, but as mentioned above, there is no green arrow; traffic has to deduce that it's their turn based on oncoming traffic having stopped. Regardless of the number of turn lanes, these operations described above are the same (double left turns, double right turns, everything is always a yield). Advanced left turns are exceedingly rare. I have only seen one, and it is shown with a green right, up, and left arrows and a red orb (example on my Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/2nZ4fYE)). Green phases of any kind always end with the yellow orb, even green arrows (so the main three-section signal will go from red to yellow if a green arrow phase is ending, kind of confusing if you only look for a split second).
Importantly: all traffic signals are timed. There are no actuated signals in Japan, that I've seen at least. I think they have time of day phasing, but that may be it. Pedestrian walk signals always activate with through traffic. Left on red is prohibited except on military installations.
Thought I might make another quick post about the traffic signals in Japan, this time just about the signals themselves.
There are at least three major manufacturers for signals in Japan: Koito Denko, Nippon Signal, and Shingo. Nippon Signal apparently has quite a presence outside Japan as well.
The major difference in products is that Nippon Signal and Shingo mostly make signals with visors, whereas Koito Denko primarily produces visorless displays. According to Koito Denko, their research into visorless ("hoodless") signals was prompted by concerns over wind and snow. Wind can damage the visors and cause them to go flying off, and snow can get caught inside the visors and get stuck. From my experience, the flat faces have not been an issue in bright settings, and the wind thing certainly may be helpful in windy areas. But the snow issue may not have been perfected, as I have found examples online where the entire face of the traffic light (https://kuruma-news.jp/post/466714) becomes a white sheet of snow; the downward angle of the signal face should normally prevent this, though.
Fun fact: traffic signals in Japan are 250mm, or 10 inches.
The vast majority, if not all traffic lights in Japan, are entirely timed. The only time pedestrian activation buttons are used are at traffic lights that have the pedestrian feature disabled, used only when there is an all-way walk, or when the signal is specifically for a pedestrian crossing.
Pedestrians signals used to be reverse colors, where the human figure was white and the background was either red or green. Nowadays, the background is black and the human figure itself is green or red. Countdowns are sometimes used these days as well, with the countdown being a series of blocks on either side of the signal slowly counting down from the beginning of the phase to the end. The same process occurs during the red light, helping pedestrians to know how long until they get a green light. The countdowns are helpful as you typically don't get more than about six seconds of warning before a red signal.
As I mentioned in the prior section, signals in Japan are entirely timed, so you don't find activation buttons except at some all-way walks or pedestrian-specific signals.
These images are from Koito Denko's website showing modern pedestrian signals:
(https://www.koito-ind.co.jp/product/img/traffic/pedestrian_signal/img3.jpg)
(https://www.koito-ind.co.jp/product/img/traffic/pedestrian_signal/img4.jpg)
Here are some pictures:
Old traffic signal showing inverted pedestrian displays and incandescent bulbs:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52497719572_e5159061f2_h.jpg)
Incandescent Signal (https://flic.kr/p/2nZ3x35) by Jacob Root (https://www.flickr.com/photos/62537709@N03/), on Flickr
Newer traffic light. Note the extra signal below for a right turn arrow (used after the through phase):
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52860376427_c98b8d9e40_h.jpg)
Modern Japanese Traffic Signal (https://flic.kr/p/2ox6fht) by Jacob Root (https://www.flickr.com/photos/62537709@N03/), on Flickr
I wonder if they have problems with LED traffic signals becoming blocked with snow. They emit little heat compared to older models, so that they do not melt the snow off.
Quote from: Chris on May 01, 2023, 05:00:44 PM
I wonder if they have problems with LED traffic signals becoming blocked with snow. They emit little heat compared to older models, so that they do not melt the snow off.
There seems to have been two ideas with the downward angle, (1) easier to see from the stop line, especially the near-side signal, *(2) reduce glare from the sun, and also (3) it should keep snow off the face of the signal. But there are examples of where, during big snows,
it can still cover the entire face (https://kuruma-news.jp/post/466714)...maybe it slid off later.
*edit
https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/road-in-chiba-plagued-by-accidents-involving-shutterbugs-seeking-%27chiba-fornia%27-shots (https://japantoday.com/category/features/lifestyle/road-in-chiba-plagued-by-accidents-involving-shutterbugs-seeking-%27chiba-fornia%27-shots)
Dang also in some of the videos Chibafornia was supposed to be modeled after Venice, CA from the shots of Palm Trees on the coast the way it was intended to be. Interestingly Chibafornia allegedly had some of the most reported accidents in the area.
(https://www.californiabeaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/bigstock-LOS-ANGELES-CALIFORNIA-June-67456147-Large.jpg)
Here is the Original
(https://86toyota.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/chibafornia-5-1024x683.jpg)
Here is Chibafornia in Japan.
The Japanese don't give a damn about rules regarding parking along the edges of streets like in the image. Stuff like that is totally normal.
Problem seems to be people wandering around in the road and not paying attention. That's definitely unusual, "jaywalking" (the law against it) is very much a thing in Japan. Can't really blame drivers for not seeing someone or not expecting someone in the road, it's very rare to see that here.
There is likely another dozen roads just like this, especially in southern Honshu and the islands to the south. Climate here is basically the same as California, just more humidity and rain. Lots of palm trees around.
Was that a Street in Venice used by cars and then they converted it to pedestrian only corridor or was it always only for pedestrians?
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on June 11, 2023, 11:09:15 PM
Was that a Street in Venice used by cars and then they converted it to pedestrian only corridor or was it always only for pedestrians?
From these shots they look like they are mainly for bikes and pedestrians.
https://gentleartofwandering.com/a-walk-on-the-sidewalk-streets-of-venice-california/ (https://gentleartofwandering.com/a-walk-on-the-sidewalk-streets-of-venice-california/)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Beach_bikepath_in_the_Venice_Beach_park%2C_California.jpg)
Documentary from Life Where I'm From (a Japan-specific English-language YouTube page) about traffic in Okinawa:
https://youtu.be/d6h_Dy7VY1Y
Traffic in Naha (and surrounding environs) is the worst in all of Japan in terms of traffic speeds, despite the city being only the 69th largest city in Japan (as of 2011).
About two-thirds of all trips in Japan are by car, but the modal split in metro areas is much different, with much higher public transit usage. The opposite is true in Naha though, with almost all trips being by car, as public transit counts for a minuscule percentage of trips.
The video correctly blames America for earlier planning decisions, but Japan has had 50+ years to correct things; I'm glad the monorail exists, but much more needs doing.
Here is a tour of one of the Expressways in Japan where the 1989 video is synced with the 2023 tour.
(make sure to edit out the "size" code in your post)
Quote from: bing101 on July 22, 2023, 01:50:10 PM
Here is a tour of one of the Expressways in Japan where the 1989 video is synced with the 2023 tour.
Great find! Not much has changed, really speaks to how well Japan handles their transportation network.
That whole channel is a gold mine of historic Japanese content.
Here is another example on a Japanese Roadgeek tour with a 37 year difference.
Some may have heard of the Shin-Tomei Expressway (numbered E1A). It is being built as a bypass of the original Tomei Expressway (numbered E1) between Osaka and Tokyo, and is 228km long, excluding the 25km-long unopened section between Shin-Gotemba and Shin-Hadano (253km total). The total cost of the project is around $50 billion USD.
As with most expressways in Japan, it is tolled, and as non-ETC toll collection is still very common in Japan, the interchanges are all three-way with toll collection plazas, though most use ETC anyways. Some interchanges are ETC-only, called "Smart Interchanges" ("Smart IC").
Roundabouts are very uncommon in Japan, but the first roundabout interchange on a toll road was constructed in Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture, along the E1. The interchange, Shin-Iwata SIC, opened in 2021, and uses a roundabout at the ramp terminus for the top of the T, as well as a roundabout directly adjacent to the ETC toll booths.
Colored road markings help guide traffic through the roundabout to where they need to go. I like this and wish it was more common on US roundabouts.
Oddly, the ETC booths are before the roundabout, though there is a second scanner at the exits from the roundabout. If you don't have ETC, the booth lets you through into the roundabout, but a gate lowers at the exit and forces you around the roundabout back where you came from. As with many ETC-only interchanges, you have to stop at the scanner, hence the "STOP" writing on the ground (not "止まれ" which is more common...not sure why). This same gate configuration exists for outbound traffic. You can use the intercom to request re-entry onto the expressway if you exited by mistake; the gate across the roundabout exit lowers, and the one across the roundabout raises, allowing you to U-turn and continue back onto the expressway.
The pictures below are from Yahagi Construction, the company that built the interchange. More pictures can be found on their website (https://www.yahagi.co.jp/works/civil/road/post_36.html), along with some testimonials from the designer and others involved.
Here is a Google Maps link (https://maps.app.goo.gl/pZKR3qYd74GqRX3B7) to the interchange. Satellite imagery is out of date, but Street View is available.
(https://www.yahagi.co.jp/works/worksImage/641d70f431de28f3520a63a28731442fa55d795d.JPG)
(https://www.yahagi.co.jp/works/worksImage/3ee9e7af0137a0f22e4c2302dae4ad14710b5eb8.JPG)
This was the first expressway and probably so far only in Japan with a 120 km/h speed limit. The regular speed limit on Japanese expressways is 100 km/h.
Quote from: Chris on March 23, 2024, 04:33:15 PMThis was the first expressway and probably so far only in Japan with a 120 km/h speed limit. The regular speed limit on Japanese expressways is 100 km/h.
I drove the E51 Higashi-Kanto Expressway a couple weeks ago and it was posted at 120 km/h. Here (https://www.police.pref.chiba.jp/kotsukiseika/traffic-safety_revision-speed_limit_toukan.html) is a post from the Chiba Police regarding the increase.
I think the E1A was the first expressway in Japan with a 120 limit, though it seems to be rolling out to more expressways. Still only 80 km/h in Okinawa.