THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
February 25, 2020 at 17:33 JST
Nagoya Expressway’s Rokuban-Minami toll entrance gate is closed in Nagoya on Feb. 23. (Jun Ueda)
NAGOYA--Six toll entrance gates on the Tokai and Manba expressway routes here were closed after a worker who transported toll collectors was found infected with the new coronavirus on Feb. 22.
Nagoya Expressway Public Corp. said the gates may remain closed for about two weeks, based on the incubation period, except for vehicles with the electronic toll collection (ETC) system.
The worker in his 60s, an employee of a company commissioned to collect tolls, was in charge of taking toll collectors to and from their posts.
Nagoya Expressway instructed 52 collectors to remain at home because they are suspected of having had close contact with the infected employee.
The company was unable to open the six toll entrance gates because of the staff shortage. The exit gates at the six sites will remain open.
As of Feb. 23, none of the 52 collectors was confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus.
Nagoya Expressway said Feb. 24 that only vehicles with the ETC system can use those six entrance gates from 6 a.m. on Feb. 25.
Drivers cannot pay by cash or hand ETC cards to toll collectors in the booths. The company assigned personnel to guide away vehicles without the ETC system that mistakenly approach the gates.
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