Detours Render Closed Route in Noto Peninsula Passable Again; Bypass Nakaya And Hosaka Tunnels Blocked Due to Earthquake And Flooding

The Yomiuri Shimbun
A detour road constructed on a coastal area raised up by the quake, near the Hosaka Tunnel in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, is seen on Friday.

Two bypasses will open to traffic this week along National Route 249 in the northern part of Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, which has been closed due to the Jan. 1 earthquake and September’s record rainfall, rendering the entire route passable again on Friday.

A detour along a prefectural road was opened on Wednesday around the Nakaya Tunnel in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, where a landslide occurred. A 1.7-kilometer detour road around the Hosaka Tunnel and along a coastal area raised up by the quake in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, will be open to traffic on Friday.

Passage will be restricted to emergency vehicles and local residents for the time being, but it is expected to provide a boost to restoration and reconstruction efforts.