Notice

March 18th, 2011 (2:00 pm)Tohoku Regional BureauSeismic Damage Information

Operation COMB Completed Today

1. 15 East-West Routes Out of 16 Routes Are Open to Traffic• 15 national routes out of 16 that connect between the

National Route 4 and National Routes 6 and 45 are open to traffic.

2. National Route 45 Is 97% Open to Traffic (Sendai City ~ Aomori Prefectural Border)• The national route 45 (Sendai City ~ Aomori prefectural

border) is now 97% open to general traffic (481km out of 464km).

• 233km between Oofunato City and Aomori prefectural border is capable to handle through traffic including the Sanriku route.

3. We Are Transitioning to Emergency Rehabilitation Operation from Opening Routes to Traffic by Removing Obstacles

Opening Roads and Rehabilitation in the Sanriku Coastal Area

The most urgent issue for rehabilitation of the affected areas:Opening the emergency transportation network (Comb shape) to traffic.

■Decided to place a “comb” shaped emergency route to open traffic to the more affected areas from the tsunami. (March 11th)

First step: Secured the national route 4 (Tohoku network) that runs north and south.

Second step: Secured the national routes that horizontally (east-west) runs from the national route 4 to Sanriku. →March 12nd: Secured 11 east-west routes→March 14th: Secured 14 east-west routes→March 15th: Secured 15 east-west routes

(Open the routes to general traffic from 16th.)

Third step: Opening the national route 45 (removing obstacles) is successful and almost complete, and it is 97% open to traffic. We are transitioning to the emergency rehabilitation operation.

< First Step > < Second Step > < Third Step >

Pacific O

cean

Pacific O

cean

kuji City

Miyako City

Kamaishi City

Ofunato City

Rikuzentakata City

Kesennuma City

Minamisanriku Town

Ishinomaki City

National R

oute 45P

acific Ocean

National R

oute4(Tohoku netw

ork)

National R

oute4(Tohoku netw

ork)

National R

oute4(Tohoku netw

ork)

Kuji City

Iwate Town

Morioka City

Iwaizumi Town

Hanamaki CityKamaishi CityKitakami City

Ichinoseki CityKesennuma City

Osaki city

Fukushima City Soma City

Namie Town

Iwaki City

Koriyama CityNihonmatsu City

①②

③

⑤

⑥

⑧

⑬

⑭

⑫

TOHOKU EXPRESSWAY Taiwa Interchange

⑦

Minamisanriku Town⑪

Kurihara City

Shirakawa City

Iwaki City

⑨

289

288

⑮

Futaba Town

④

Hachinohe City

Rikuzentakata City

Ofunato City

⑩

Miyako City

Ishinomaki City

Karumai Town

Closed Roads due to the Tohoku Earthquake: Friday, March 18th, 2011 (5pm)

•National Route 45 is primarily open for emergency vehicles for the search and rescue activities. •Many of the wave barriers are left on roads. Damages on roads are still being corrected. Many of the traffic signals do not operate. Many of the roads might be open only with one lane for traffic.

Open to traffic

No traffic in downtown

No traffic

Open port

Port availability being confirmed

Evacuation from the nuclear plant (30km)

Status of Various routes from the National Route 4 to the National Routes 45 and 6.

B : Port of Hachinohe

C : Port of Kuji

D : Port of Miyako

E : Port of Kamaishi

F : Port of Ofunato

G : Port of Ishinomaki

H : Port of Sendai-Shiogama(Shiogama District)

H : Port of Sendai-Shiogama(Sendai District)

I : Port of Soma

J : Port of Onahama

A : Port of Aomori

Legend

TOHOKU EXPRESSWAY Sendaiminami Interchange