The is a national expressway in Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company.
is a kanji acronym consisting of 3 characters, each representing the former names of the prefectures that the route traverses. consists of present-day Gunma Prefecture, consists of present-day Nagano Prefecture, and consists of present-day Niigata Prefecture.
Officially, the expressway is referred to as the Kan-Etsu Expressway JÃ Âetsu Route. This designation consists of the entire JÃ Âshin-etsu Expressway as well as the Kan-Etsu Expressway beyond Fujioka Junction to Nerima Interchange (concurrent with the Kan-Etsu Expressway Niigata Route).
The expressway begins at a junction with the Kan-Etsu Expressway in southern Gunma Prefecture and heads west, paralleling National Route 254 until Shimonita. From here the route branches north, passing Mount Myà Âgi, then heads west once more from Annaka. The route parallels National Route 18 from this point until the terminus. The expressway then follows a winding route through the mountainous area separating Gunma and Nagano Prefectures. From Saku, Nagano the route follows a northwesterly course, passing Mount Asama, until it reaches a junction with the Nagano Expressway near the city of Nagano. The route then heads north, following the east bank of the Chikuma River, before heading into the mountainous region separating Nagano and Niigata Prefectures. The expressway continues north through Niigata Prefecture, passing Mount Myà Âkà Â, and eventually terminating at a junction with the Hokuriku Expressway in Jà Âetsu near the Japan Sea coastline.
The expressway is 6 lanes from Fujioka Junction to Fujioka Interchange. The remaining section from Fujioka Interchange to JÃ Âetsu Junction is 4 lanes, from 5 December 2019 according to E-NEXCO.
The first section was completed in 1980 and the entire route was completed in 1999. On the night of 16 December 2020, about 300 vehicles were trapped on the expressway after a truck blocked it off due to it becoming stuck in the snow. In response, the company that manages the route supplied drivers who were stuck on the road until the next morning.
There are also 2 snow chain changing areas between Toyota-Iiyama Interchange and Kurohime-Nojiriko Parking Area, and 1 area between Sakaki Interchange and Ueda-Sugadaira Interchange (Fujioka-bound only).