NEXCO’s three companies, JB Honshi Expressway, and JARTIC have released traffic congestion forecasts for expressways during the Obon period (August 7–16).
A total of 436 traffic jams of 10 km or more are expected during this period. The peak periods for southbound traffic are expected to be the 8th and 13th, while the peak periods for northbound traffic are expected to be the 14th and 15th.
Particularly heavy traffic is expected around 5:00 a.m. on the 8th and around 6:00 a.m. on the 13th on the downbound lanes of the Chuo Expressway (E20), with a traffic jam stretching up to 45 km starting near the “Sagamiko IC,” and around 11:00 a.m. on August 13 on the downbound lanes of the Tohoku Expressway (E4), with congestion stretching up to 35 km starting near the “Yaita-Kita PA.”
In addition, around 6:00 p.m. on the 15th, traffic on the northbound lanes of the Kan-Etsu Expressway (E17) was backed up for up to 30 km, starting near the “Sakado-Nishi Smart IC,” around 2:00 p.m. on the 11th and around 4:00 p.m. on the 15th, a traffic jam of up to 30 km began near the “Kobutsu Tunnel” on the northbound lanes of the Chuo Expressway (E20), among other incidents.
© Source travel watch