March_1966 — Page 79

CIVIL ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS

The Tokyo Expressway

By

A. G. S. Danaraj

W ITH a population of more than ten million, Tokyo is the largest city in the world. Where roads are concerned it is also prob- ably the most congested.

The number of cars may not be significant, compared with the Unit- ed States, but their rate of increase is sufficient to threaten strangulation, as is true of most large cities.

To add to the problem. Japanese streets and highway conditions were. until recent years, unusually poor for a highly industrialised country.

The railway system is one of the most advanced the world, due pri- marily to Japan's geographical posi- tion and to the fact that she has prac- tically no petroleum resources of her own. But only during the last ten years has a national effort been made to improve her outdated streets and highways.

Japan is divided into 46 prefec- tures, of both rural and urban types. Each prefecture is subdivided into city, town and village. There are about 600 cities with more than 30,-

Part of the expressway with the Edobashi interchange in the foreground

000 inhabitants. The Tokyo Metro- politan Government is one type of prefectural Government. The Na- tional Government's central agency for public works, including highways

KITAMI-CHO

and streets, is the Ministry of Cons- truction. The Minister of Construc- tion is a cabinet member.

The seriousness of the traffic situa- tion in Tokyo led to basic studies and

HIGASHI-KĄ NA MWA

PORT

YOKOHAMA

SHANEDA

KANAGAWA PREFECTURE

ORIGINAL PLAN

----- FIRST ADDITION

$59ZSZ INDUSTRIAL AREA

S

C

2

TAMA

RIVER

E

10

12 KM

Far East Architect & Builder March, 1966

FUTAGO-BRIDGE

TOKYO CITY

NISHITOGOSH

I-CHOME

YOYOGI

WAPA - CHO

KAMEGURO

ROUTE

ROUTE

MIDDLE RING

HATAGAYA

CHIHAYA-CHO

KEBUKURE 4-CHOME

MIYAKEZAKA

ROUTE 5

ROUTE ELEM

AIRPORT

TOKYO

BAY

KABU

CHIBA PREFECTURE

Z

FINNER RING

BRANCH ROUTE 4

IRIYA - CHO

OGOKŮ

UTE

TERAJIMO

HO

ARA CHIVER

BRIDGE

75