This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: Hokutomoheji-Kikonai section was opened on March 26, 2022. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(August 2024)
Officially, the current (as of January 2019) section of expressway open is known as the Hakodate-Kikonai Road. It is 34.0 kilometres (21.1 mi) long. The speed limit is set at 100 km/h along its entirety. With the exception of a short section at Hakodate Junction, the expressway only has one lane in each direction.[2]
The roads northern terminus is at an interchange with Hakodate Shindō, a southern extension of the Hokkaido Expressway. From here the road travels west out of Hakodate and in to Hokuto. Upon entering Hokuto it has a junction with Japan National Route 227. It then crosses the Kunebetsu and Ōno rivers before another junction, this time with Hokkaido Route 96. From here, the route curves to the southwest, roughly paralleling the Hokkaido Shinkansen rail line, while the older Esashi Line winds back and forth alongside the expressway. The expressway abruptly meets in temporary southern terminus at Hokkaido Route 1167 in the southern part of Hokuto near Moheji Station.
History
The expressway was first opened between Hakodate Junction and Hokuto-chūō Interchange in 2003. At the time of construction, the open interchanges in Hokuto had different names. Those interchanges were renamed Hokuto-Oiwake and Hokuto-chūō in October 2009. Shortly after, in November of the same year, the expressway was extended to Hokuto-Tomigawa. After that, in March 2012 the expressway was extended to Hokuto-Moheji.[3] Most recently, in March 26, 2022 the expressway was extended to Kikonai.[4]
Future
Construction is underway to extend the expressway 16.0 kilometres (9.9 mi) to Kikonai; however, progress was delayed due to the finding of Jōmon period relics in the construction area. The completion date for this extension is March 26, 2022.[5]
