The restored section north of National Route 57 and the existing road section have opened simultaneously!
On October 3, 2020, the northern bypass route of National Route 57 in Kumamoto Prefecture and the existing section of the road were opened to traffic.
Construction work aimed at restoring National Route 57, which suffered extensive damage in the Kumamoto Earthquake, is underway; both the northern bypass route and the existing section of the road opened on October 3, with traffic resuming on both routes at nearly the same time.
People are already flocking there, and videos have been uploaded to YouTube. Among them, I found a video like this.
★Video Celebrating the Opening of the Northbound Recovery Route on National Route 57★ / YouTube (TSUNAGU Kumamoto Executive Committee)
Watching this video, one can surmise that many local residents had been eagerly awaiting this moment. Other videos also show local residents waving to the drivers while holding up banners.
When you see a scene like this, isn’t it a moment that makes those involved in the construction or project feel a sense of fulfillment?
Although I’m not a construction professional myself, I was involved in the National Route 57 project. Above all, the work demanded speed, and of course, precision was essential as well—it was nothing but hard work. However, seeing how happy the local residents are and how many people are using the road, I feel from the bottom of my heart that it was worth it and that I was fortunate to have been a part of it.
For those involved in the tourism industry in Kumamoto—particularly in the Aso region—this must be welcome news after a long time, given that they have suffered a series of blows, including the Kumamoto Earthquake, this summer’s torrential rains, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fall foliage season is about to begin, marking the time of year when you can enjoy the scenery. If you take the northern recovery route from Otsu Town and pass through the Nijū Pass Tunnel, you might be able to see the Aso Outer Rim Mountains and the Five Peaks of Aso, beautifully adorned with fall colors.
The Aso region is also an ideal spot for motorcycle touring, and the number of motorcyclists visiting is likely to increase. In fact, many riders have been eagerly awaiting the opening of the northern recovery route, and videos of riders traveling along it as soon as it opened have been posted on YouTube.
When Do Civil Engineers Find Their Work Rewarding?
Isn’t it a truly rewarding moment for civil engineers involved in construction projects and other initiatives to see local residents happy and to know that the facilities they’ve built are being used by so many people?
However, they don’t usually receive words of gratitude. On the contrary, many of them likely go about their work while feeling their lives are in danger, all the while being told, “We don’t need facilities like that! It’s a waste of taxpayer money!”
Even so, they remain quiet. Despite being subjected to all sorts of criticism and insults, they silently carry out the roles assigned to them. The reality is that civil engineers rarely receive much appreciation in their daily work.
That being said, moments like the recent reopening of National Route 57—when local residents have been eagerly awaiting the reopening and celebrate the day with great joy—are surely what make the work so rewarding.
There will always be a time when your efforts pay off.
Hard work and dedication in the civil engineering industry don’t always pay off. In fact, there may be more times when they don’t. But there are definitely times when they do pay off. There are times when your efforts bring joy to others. That’s probably why some people say they just can’t quit.
Disaster recovery efforts, in particular, tend to be greatly appreciated by local residents. The everyday life they took for granted is lost in an instant, forcing them to live under difficult conditions. To help them regain that everyday life, civil engineers and construction workers toil day and night. They are working tirelessly, putting their lives on the line. The fruits of their labor—such as the recent restoration of National Route 57—are welcomed and appreciated by the local community.
There’s no need to take the words of so-called critics—who do nothing but complain—at face value. We are appreciated, thanked, and needed by the local community. Isn’t it through this cumulative effort that the status of civil engineers and construction workers will gradually improve?
Reprinted from "The God of Construction"
