On Apr. 1 the toll was removed from the 8.5 km Nijohamatama Road linking Itoshima, Fukuoka to Karatsu, Saga. The Karatsu City Chamber of Commerce hopes this will attract tourists from the metro Fukuoka area, but local eateries in Itoshima have expressed concerns about reduced traffic on regular roads. The standard toll of ¥360 (one-way) was removed, effectively reducing the cost of driving from Fukuoka to less than ¥1,000. In March 2009, the national government ran a campaign that allowed travelers to use toll highways for ¥1,000 on weekends on holidays. The campaign expired about two years later, and the Karatsu City Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Association have been lobbying the government to make the Nijohamatama Road toll-free since then, fearing the resumption of normal tolls would keep tourists away (Travel to Karatsu from Fukuoka by highway costs ¥1,310 over three separate toll roads). Fukuoka Prefecture estimates the daily two-way traffic on National Route 202 at around 10,000 cars and expects a toll-free Nijohamatama Road would reduce this number by 3,000 vehicles. Itoshima City suspended operations of a café/restaurant at a visitor’s center in Shikaka saying it was “no longer profitable”. Other local restaurants have also expressed concerns over the move. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, Apr. 2
