4.20

Question 1

Social Costs

Answer 1

Electronic toll collection system based on wireless communication between antennas and ETC onboard device
-Must have a vehicle onboard device or credit card must be inserted

Question 2

Social benefits of circular roads

Answer 2

Less road roage
Increasing connectivity- SHinjuku to Haneda Airport is 19min instead of 40min
Tolls increase traffic speeds through a reduction of vehicles

Question 3

Environmental benefits of circular roads

Answer 3

Estimated to be 2-3 million ton reduction in co2 emissions, equivalent to the amount of co2 trees that cover the tokyo metro area consume
Users encouraged to purchae EV’s through toll discount

Question 4

Environmental costs of Circular roads/tolls

Answer 4

Still encourages the use of cars and not other options like public transport or bicycle network
Signifcant amount of soil removed for outer ring (tunnel that ia 40m below ground level)

Question 5

Economic benefits

Answer 5

Time lost by congestion was reduced by 40% for metropolitan expressways, and 50% from central route inwards
-Increase in productivity
-Profit by tolls are used for road infrastructure
-EV’s subject to dicsount
-Increase in companies along the expressways

Question 6

Environmental costs of cirular roads/road tolls

Answer 6

All road users must pay a toll when using expressways
Pricing effective between 7am to 7pm on weekdays
Proposed tolls are 400-600 yen for small vehicles and 800-1200 for heavy good vehicles