William here with two articles from the Kumanichi regarding road access to Minami Aso.
As you’re likely aware, the main bridge crossing Tateno Gap, Aso Ohhashi (阿蘇大橋), has gone bye-bye, with its supports tumbled and its span collapsed, resulting in a severing of the main access road, Route 57, a road running through the gap with a moderate grade. The current main detour runs from Akamizu on the caldera floor up the inner edge of the caldera to Milk Road and from there down the outer edge to Ozu. Not only is this road very steep and windy, it also is single-lane in each direction and lacks shoulders, meaning vehicle breakdowns immediately result in massive traffic jams. The article reports a 9-kilometer jam which required six hours to clear after a truck delivering supplies broke down.
The second article discusses Aso Choyo Ohhashi (阿蘇長陽大橋), a bridge built in 1997 which runs to the south and below Aso Ohhashi. This bridge survived the earthquake with its supports and span intact and could serve as a main conduit if repairs are made - in particular, landslides block the route from the west, and a one-meter gap exists between the bridgehead and road to the east. The article notes, though, that repairing this bridge could result in a vastly faster link to Minami Aso in a relatively short amount of time.
The first link and the photo below are of the Aso Choyo Ohhashi; the second, to the current detour, which includes a map.
http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160511012.xhtml http://kumanichi.com/news/local/main/20160512004.xhtml
