| In cold， snowy regions， the efficiency of roads are decreased ， because in winter as a result of various factors such as snowfall， snow cover， and icy road surfaces. Road administrator in these area ， it must remove snow， spread anti-freezing agents， and conduct other operations. Hokkaido， the northernmost prefecture in Japan， is confronted by the most severe conditions in the nation for winter road management and maintenance because of freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. The Hokkaido Development Bureau bears the responsibility under these severe conditions of administrating the prefecture’s national highways， which form the backbone of Hokkaido’s road network. This paper outlines the current situation of winter road management by the Bureau today， as well as future issues that it must address. |
