首都高速道路 東京再生につながる改修を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct. 8, 2012)
Revamping Tokyo's expressways could give capital a boost
首都高速道路　東京再生につながる改修を（10月7日付・読売社説）

How should a large-scale renovation be undertaken on Tokyo's aging expressway system?
　老朽化が進む首都高速道路の大規模改修をどう進めるか。

This is a crucial task that will affect disaster prevention preparations, redevelopment projects and distribution networks in the metropolitan area.
首都圏の防災や再開発、流通網にも影響する重要な課題だ。

An expert panel of the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has compiled a package of recommendations that call for the elevated Inner Circular Route to be shifted underground and for other routes of the weblike network to be revamped. We can understand why the recommendations go further than simply proposing an upgrade of the expressways and instead urge that Tokyo's shutoko tollways be radically overhauled.
　国土交通省の有識者会議が、都心環状線の地下移設やルート変更などを柱とする提言をまとめた。単なる設備更新にとどまらず、首都高の抜本再生を求めた点は理解できる。

We hope the ministry will launch studies with the Tokyo metropolitan government and Metropolitan Express Co., the operator of the network, about specifics of the envisioned changes.
　国交省は東京都や首都高会社と具体策の検討に入ってほしい。

Tokyo's expressways extend across the capital and three neighboring prefectures, making the network a major transport artery for the entire national economy.
　１都３県にまたがる首都高は、日本経済を支える大動脈だ。

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Dangerous curves, junctions

This year marks the 50th year since the first section of the expressway system opened. About 30 percent of the network's 300 kilometers was built at least 40 years ago.
しかし、最初の区間が開通してから今年で５０年を迎え、総延長３００キロのうち３割は完成後４０年以上が経過した。

The expressways need repairs at nearly 100,000 locations, a threefold increase from seven years ago. Temporary fixes are approaching the limit of their usefulness.
補修が必要な損傷箇所は１０万近く、７年間で３倍に増えた。応急処置も限界だ。

To build as many expressways as possible in time for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, most were constructed above existing roads and waterways to avoid land procurement problems. The result is that 95 percent of expressways are elevated or in tunnels, making it an unusual network by global standards.
　東京五輪に間に合わせるため、用地買収が不要な道路や水路の上の空間を利用した結果、全体の９５％が高架橋やトンネルという世界でも特異な道路となっている。

The ministry panel focused its discussions on the Inner Circular Route because it has many tight curves and hazardous junctions on roads threading their way through densely built-up areas. Traffic accidents and congestion occur frequently. In addition, making expressways more earthquake-resistant is urgently needed in preparation for an expected powerful epicentral quake with its focus below Tokyo.
　有識者会議が都心環状線を問題視したのは、建物の間を縫う急カーブや無理な合流地点が多く、事故や渋滞が多発しているからだ。首都直下型地震に備えるため、耐震強化は急務だろう。

One of the panel's recommendations was to dismantle elevated sections that spoil Tokyo's landscape and hang ominously over areas and people below. This could be a good option for a new expressway system.
　東京の景観を損ね、周囲に圧迫感を与えている高架橋を撤去し、地下化を進める案は選択肢になりうるのではないか。

The biggest problem, of course, will be coming up with the more than 4 trillion yen that would be needed for this massive project.
　だが、最大の問題は、４兆円を超えるともされる巨額の建設費をどう確保するかである。

Considering the increasingly stringent government finances, the panel quite rightly pointed out that restructuring the expressways "should be funded not by counting on government money as much as possible, but instead mainly by toll revenues."
　厳しい財政事情を考えれば、有識者会議が「税金に極力頼らず、料金収入を中心に対応すべきだ」と指摘したのは当然と言える。

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Draw lessons from overseas

However, a large jump in tolls could earn the ire of expressway users. Harnessing private-sector funds as much as possible by such means as selling land that will become vacant in prime locations after elevated sections are dismantled should be scrutinized.
　ただし、通行料金の大幅な値上げは、利用者の反発を招きかねない。高架の撤去後に空いた一等地の売却などで、できるだけ民間資金を活用する工夫が要る。

About 60 percent of vehicles that use the Inner Circular Route simply drive through the heart of Tokyo. This is a major cause of the chronic traffic jams, a situation that must be taken into account in remodeling the expressways.
　都心環状線に流入する車の６割は通過するだけで、それが慢性的な渋滞の原因となっている現状も併せて改善したい。

Some observers argue that the Inner Circular Route could be done away with by improving routes that form a concentric pattern in outer areas of the Inner Circular Route, such as the Central Circular Route and Tokyo Outer Ring Road, or Gaikando.
　首都圏の迂回(うかい)ルートとして、都心環状線の外側に同心円状に位置する中央環状線や、東京外郭環状道路の整備が進めば、都心環状線は不要だとする意見もある。

The reconstruction of expressways has rejuvenated the central part of many major cities, such as Seoul, Seattle, Duesseldorf and Paris. We hope these cities provide useful references for Tokyo's case.
　世界では近年、ソウル、シアトル、デュッセルドルフ、パリなど都心部の高速道路改修を都市再生につなげた事例が多い。大いに参考にしてもらいたい。

The Tokyo metropolitan expressway system is not alone in nearing the end of its expected service life. Many roads, bridges and water and sewerage systems built by the central and local governments across the country during Japan's high-growth days also are becoming decrepit.
　首都高に限らず、全国各地で高度成長期に国や自治体が整備した道路や橋、上下水道などが軒並み耐用年数を迎えている。

Renovating Tokyo's expressway network, if done successfully, could be a good model for upgrading aging infrastructure throughout the country.
首都高改修への取り組みは、老朽インフラ再生のモデルになるはずだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 7, 2012)
（2012年10月7日01時27分  読売新聞）