In pursuit of the Keihan National Highway No.2 
of the 21st Century



Citizens' Initiative to Protect the Environment of Katano
 from the Keihan National Highway No.2


Chairman: Mr. Ichiro FUKAMACHI
Address: 1-33-1 Mukaida, Katano City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

e-mail:katano@po.kulawanka.ne.jp




*********************************************


The reason why we have created this homepage:



Along with the development of a gigantic network of 
highways stretching out all over Japan, environmental problems 
caused by the road pollution are becoming increasingly hazardous 
to our life.  Our town, too, will be hit by the same problems soon.

Katano City where we live (population: 75,000) is located in the 
northeastern part of Osaka Prefecture, around the midpoint between 
Osaka, and Kyoto, the old imperial capital of Japan, and in the 
vicinity of Nara, another cultural site.  
Katano has long been considered as one of the most agreeable and 
quiet residential suburbs of the industrial metropolis Osaka. 

These two major cities, Osaka and Kyoto are connected by a 
number of roads, most of which are chronically congested. 
To ease this traffic situation, the Japanese government is currently 
planning to widen the existing roads as well as to construct new roads, 
one of which, the "Keihan Highway No.2", is supposed to cut through the 
center of our town!

This Urban Plan has been decided in May, 1969 and the route 
surveying was completed 
in September, 1993.  The construction design plan will be submitted 
soon. 

Once again We would like to arrange our ideas about the Highway 
and many people to understand them and work together for realizing 
the Keihan Highway No.2 of 21st century with preservation of environment.
We have hopefully created this homepage.
 




The Keihan Highway No.2 we strive to realize:

In order to protect the inhabitants of Katano from the road pollution
 expected from the new highway, such as air and noise pollution,
 and to safeguard the quiet and clean environment as well as a 
healthful and safe living in our town,

 we are striving to have 4 requirements fulfilled:

1. The part of the highway which is located within our city shall be 
　sheltered entirely;
2. This part of the highway shall be provided with a denitration unit;
3. Embankments of the highway shall be constructed in taking 
　account of  the existing residential area and in harmony with a long-term
　 city planning; 
　and 
4. Roadside improvement measures shall take full account of opinions 
　of  the inhabitants of the area and pay sufficient attention to the 
　environmental conservation of the roadside.


Are our requirements unrealistic?

Well, we have already won through some concessions from authorities. 
 For instance, the Modification Plan that the Ministry of Construction
 presented in 1987 envisaged the highway in an elevated structure
 within the entire area of Katano.  
Alarmed by this construction plan which was deemed liable to destroy
 the environment of Katano, we created the "Citizens' Initiative",
 proposed a "tunnel system" as an alternative to the existing 
construction plan and launched a wide range of lobbying actions toward all 
parties concerned including the Ministry of Construction, the Prefectural
 Government of Osaka, the City of Katano and the City Council. 
 Submitting a petition signed by 50% of the population of Katano City,
 organizing a forum of 1000 inhabitants in the front yard of the City 
Hall, distributing bulletins to inform every household, we have succeeded 
in calling the attention of the public opinion to our slogan: "protect the
 environment of Katano by an underground highway system".

A surge of this grass-roots movement has brought the City of Katano,
 which had rejected the underground highway concept for reasons of
 ground water problems, to finally make a decision to adopt the 
"embankment concept" as an alternative to the construction of an 
elevated structure initially planned by the Ministry of Construction.  
This embankment concept, if realized fully, would be comparable to 
a "tunnel above the ground".



All that was thanks to citizens' initiative, wasn't it?

In the "Fundamental Principles on the Measures regarding the 
Keihan  by Katano City, it asserts that it will "negotiate with the project
 implementing body and associated parties to ensure that they adopt 
the embankment structure which shall be 3 meters high from the road 
surface and entirely covered with a shelter, while they shall develop and
 vulgarize a compact and efficient denitration unit in view to 
incorporate it into a ventilation system of the said embankment structure ".


That's right!

We support the proposal of the City of Katano regarding the 
embankment structure, a "tunnel above the ground":
        1) which will provide a shelter to cover the entire stretch of 
　　　　　the highway within our city;
        2) in which an efficient denitration unit shall be installed 
　　　　　when such a unit is vulgarized; and lastly,
        3) which will have embankments along the entire stretch of 
　　　　　the highway within our city.
　　　　　This concept seems to be the best possible solution, as of 
　　　　　today, to protect the environment of Katano.  

We insist that City of Katano fulfill its responsibility to ensure the 
realization of what it itself has proposed: the "embankment structure"
 ("tunnel above the ground").
We, too, will support the City wholeheartedly in a joint pursuit for our 
goal: the realization of the "tunnel above the ground".  

Likewise, the City Council has accepted the petition for the "Three 
Requirements regarding the construction of embankments" submitted by the 
Citizens' Initiative and, on the same day, adopted the "resolution regarding
 the construction the Keihan Highway No.2", drafted by the members
 of the Council, which maintains that "the City shall adopt the embankment
 structure which permits environmental protection, in taking into account the
 supplementary comments of the standing committee in charge of the 
assessment of environmental impact."  


So why not trust the City and the Councilors?

In fact, the toughest opposition we are facing is the Japanese 
Government (Ministry of Construction).  The Ministry has not moved
 an inch from its initial standpoint that "In case of Katano, according
 to the assessment, the environmental standards are sufficiently fulfilled,
 sothere will be no need of providing for a denitration unit, even when 
such a unit has come into general use, nor for a shelter."  


So we have still a long way to go before we see our "tunnel" realized.

It is clear that we should not just leave the matter simply with the 

 three of us, City, Council and the Citizens of Katano, must join 
together to put through our requests to the Ministry of Construction.


What counts really is the citizens' power.

After all, the problem of the Keihan Highway No.2 is our problem. The 
immediate victims of the highway construction are the inhabitants near
 the roadside, the Citizens of Katano.  The City is just an administrative
 organ which is often subject to the reasons of the state.  That is why the
 City needs the back-up of the citizens' power.  Whether our "tunnel" 
can be realized or not will depend solely on the citizens' power.

A highway system which consists of a shelter, a denitration unit and 
embankments is the optimal system as of today to safeguard the
 environment of the roadside and the entire area of Katano. 
 The City, the Council and the Citizens of Katano will jointly take 
following actions to realize this highway system:


-       We will appeal to the Ministry of Construction and the Japan 
　　　　Highway Construction Corporation to ensure the realization
 　　　of "the embankment structure" (the tunnel) which the City,
　　　　 the Council and the Citizens of Katano desire.


-       We will appeal to the Osaka Prefectural Government to 
　　　　assume responsibility for the supplementary comments of the
　　　　 Prefectural Urban Planning Commission in favor of the
　　　　 reconsideration of "the embankment structure" and negotiate 
　　　　 steadfastly with the Ministry of Construction in order to
　　　　 ensure the "realization of the embankment structure", as requested
　　　　 eagerly by the local people.



-       We will appeal to the City of Katano to ensure the realization 
　　　　of the "embankment structure" (the tunnel above the ground)
　　　　 which it has proposed.  At the same time,
　　　　 we will extend our all-out support to the City to help it fulfill its 
　　　　proposal.



-       We wish to enlarge our activities to ensure understanding 
　　　　and cooperation of as many citizens of Katano as possible.
　　　  Indeed, power of the citizens' initiative is power of the public
　　　　 opinion.  


-       Today, we are standing at the crucial stage: whether we can 
　　　　or cannot realize what all of us have been longing for
　　　　 since we joined our circle "Citizens' Initiative": "No more road
　　　　 pollution!"  We need understanding, cooperation and solidarity
　　　　 from all the members of our circle.


It will be in 10 years from now that we will see the traffic of cars on 
the Keihan Highway No.2,
 which will be a "Highway of the 21st Century" in the true sense of the 
word. We shall not leave a huge burden on the shoulders of our future
 generations.


By then, a denitration system will be in a wide use.  That is why it is 
so important to make sure now that the highway will be provided with
 a structure which permits the incorporation of such a denitration unit.

If the highway were to be constructed in a conventional manner, with 
no shelter, no denitration unit, no embankment for the entire stretch, but
 only a part of the route, combined with a petty noise shelter - that
 is what the Ministry is thinking about - we will leave a huge burden on the
 shoulders of our future generations.  

Moreover, the problem of the Keihan Highway No.2 is not just a 
structural problem.  We must pay our attention to other problems, too:
-       The environmental problems involved in the access roads to 
　　　　the highway: Route Murano-Jinguji and Route Amanogawa-Iwafune;
　　　　 and


-       Increase of car traffic to and from Katano after the completion 
　　　　of the Keihan Highway No.2, which will lead to the deterioration
　　　　 of the environmental standards of the city.  In some part of
　　　　 the city, they are already deteriorating.  



The follow-up of the movements against road pollution launched 
everywhere in Japan, tells us that considerable success was achieved
 where movements were well organized, whereas no good result was
 obtained where they were sporadic.

Let us work together to protect the environment of Katano with 
citizens' initiative.  We need your help and support.  Please write us!





November, 1996

Citizens' Initiative to protect the environment of Katano from the 
Keihan Highway No.2
Mr. Ichiro FUKAMACHI, Chairman
Phone & Fax: Japan(81)-(0)72-891-5524


e-mail:katano@po.kulawanka.ne.jp





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