March 7th: Opening Day! Central Circular Route Yamate Tunnel: Countdown
On January 27th, the Metropolitan Expressway Corporation held a countdown ceremony at the Ohashi Junction of the Central Circular Shinagawa Line (connecting the Expressway Wangan Line to the Expressway No. 3 Shibuya Line), which opens on March 7th at 4:00 PM. This marked the first public unveiling of the underground branching and merging sections to the press.
The Central Circular Route is one of the three metropolitan ring roads (Ken-O Expressway, Gaikan Expressway, Central Circular Route). With the opening of the Shinagawa Line, a 46.9-kilometer ring will be completed for the first time, stretching from the Oi Junction in Shinagawa Ward to the Kasai Junction in Edogawa Ward.
President Sugawara answering questions
At the ceremony, President Hideo Sugawara stated, "This was a major project that took 50 years to complete, but we expect significant benefits from its opening," explaining the expected time savings, reduced congestion, and enhanced disaster resilience. He also noted that the construction of the Ohashi Junction employed world-first advanced technology: two shield tunnels were cut underground and connected into one, creating an egg-shaped large space.
On stage, President Sugawara unveiled a countdown panel revealing the time remaining until opening.
Metropolitan Expressway Related Sites:
http://www.shutoko.co.jp/company/press/h26/data/01/19_shinagawasen0307/
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