The Akaigawa Interchange (IC)–Hakodate Airport IC section (7.6 km) of the Hakodate New Ring Road (Airport Road) in the city of Hakodate in Southern Hokkaido opened on March 28, making it possible to drive the entire 10 km between the Hakodate IC and Hakodate Airport IC. It is now possible to head toward central Hakodate and in the direction of Sapporo direct from the airport, with those concerned in the region expecting a boost in wide-area tourism based around the airport.

Work on the Airport Road, a high-grade trunk road, began in FY 2007, with the Hakodate IC–Akaigawa IC section (2.4 km) opening in 2014. In line with the latest opening, on March 28, sixty vehicles of those concerned were the first to pass along the Akaigawa IC–Hiyoshi IC–Hakodate Airport IC section of the road.

　The trip between Hakodate IC and Hakodate Airport now takes approximately 11 minutes, approximately 20 minutes faster than the current route along the Hakodate-Kamiiso Prefectural Highway (industrial road), which takes approximately 30 minutes. The opening enables direct access to the Hakodate Shindo and Hakodate-Esashi Expressway without having to use pass general roads that become congested easily, and also improves access in the direction of Sapporo as well as to southern Hokkaido tourist spots such as Onuma Quasi-National Park.

Shuttle bus services between Hakodate Airport and Shin Hakodate-Hokuto Station on the Hokkaido shinkansen (bullet train) line, which had been suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic, also resumed from the 28th. Journeys via the Airport Road are 16 minutes faster than on the previous route, making it possible to change to the shinkansen more smoothly if flights are cancelled.