Karisaka Tunnel

Karisaka Tunnel
雁坂トンネル有料道路

Overview
Location	Saitama Prefecture • Yamanashi Prefecture
Status	In service
Route	Japan National Route 140
Start	Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture
End	Yamanashi City, Yamanashi Prefecture
Operation
Work begun	October, 1988
Constructed	September, 1994
Opened	April, 1998
Traffic	Automobiles • Motorbikes
Toll	Passenger cars： 710 yen Mid-sized cars：860 yen Heavy vehicles： 1,170 yen Oversized vehicles：1,980 yen Light motor vehicles (up to 660cc)： 560 yen Motorbikes： 70yen
Technical
Length	6,625m
Operating speed	Not specified. Speed limit: 40km/h Mopeds: 30km/h
Width	7.5m

The tollboth at the tunnel entrance on the Yamanashi-prefecture end

The Karisaka Tunnel is a Japanese toll tunnel that opened April 23, 1998 between Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture and Yamanashi City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Until this tunnel opened, there was no direct road connection between Saitama and Yamanashi prefectures.

Details

• At 6,625m long, the tunnel is the fifth-longest road tunnel in Japan.
• Tolls are collected when traveling north from Yamanashi to Saitama.
• Equipped with fire-prevention equipment
• Built using the New Austrian Tunneling method
• Pedestrians, bicycles, and specialized small vehicles are prohibited.
• 50cc motorbikes can be ridden through the tunnel.
• Hazardous cargo is restricted.

Timeline
1953	Plan announced
1968	Surveying began in Saitama and Yamanashi
October 1984	The route was approved
November 1988	Construction began in Yamanashi
May 1989	Groundbreaking was held in Yamanashi
November 1990	Construction began in Saitama
September 1994	Breakthrough
April 23, 1998	Opening
October 1998	Deregulation of large-vehicle traffic

External links

• Toll roads in Yamanashi prefecture (in Japanese) (Translate to English: Google, Bing, Yandex)
• Toll tunnel management office, Yamanashi city (in Japanese) (Translate to English: Google, Bing, Yandex)