「本当に採算とれるのか」総事業費43億円「道の駅」に賛否　建設資材高騰で5割増　市の負担額も2億円超増額　茨城・那珂市（2026年07月02日）

(Aired July 1, 2026) "Roadside stations" offer fresh vegetables and play areas. Many people have likely stopped at one during their travels. However, a new roadside station in Ibaraki Prefecture, costing approximately 4.3 billion yen, is generating both support and opposition. On July 1st, the "It!" reporting team visited Naka City in Ibaraki Prefecture, a region known for its rural landscape. A new roadside station is planned for construction at a cost of 4.3 billion yen. This ongoing roadside station project is currently drawing both support and opposition. The city plans to build the new station on an area roughly the size of the Tokyo Dome, near the Naka Interchange on the Joban Expressway. It is scheduled to open in fiscal year 2028. The facility will feature local specialties such as burgers and sweets made with local products, as well as a direct sales market for vegetables, a product exhibition, a children's play area, and a disaster preparedness storage warehouse. It is expected to attract approximately 950,000 visitors annually. Naka City residents have expressed sentiments such as, "I'm glad that there will be more places for children to play to their heart's content, and I hope that many more people will come to Naka City to visit," and "I hope that Naka City's local products will become more famous. I think (the roadside station itself) will be good for revitalization." While the roadside station is being hailed by local residents as a catalyst for regional revitalization, the project's cost has been a major point of contention from the outset. Some residents have commented, "There are several roadside stations nearby, so I wish they would use the money for something else, like welfare," and "The project cost is 4.3 billion yen. It's gone up by 50%. I wonder if it will really be profitable." The initial plan called for a total project cost of approximately 3 billion yen, but the detailed design phase in March 2026 saw the cost balloon to 4.32 billion yen, nearly 1.5 times the initial estimate. Of that, the city's share of the tax money also increased to approximately 1.2 billion yen, an increase of over 200 million yen. In response to this situation, a citizens' group opposing the roadside station project submitted a petition with over 3,700 signatures, demanding the enactment of a referendum ordinance to determine whether or not to proceed with the construction. At an extraordinary city council meeting on June 29th, Mayor Senzaki of Naka City stated that the increase in project costs was due to factors such as the rising cost of construction materials caused by the worsening situation in the Middle East. He requested understanding, saying, "While project costs have increased compared to the basic design phase, we have carefully examined available national subsidies and other resources to control the city's voluntary burden. Currently, Naka City is facing urgent issues such as population decline and industrial decline. I am confident that this is an investment in the future to pass on a sustainable town to the next generation." Meanwhile, in response to the mayor's appeal, Shinsuke Nemoto of the citizens' group "Volunteers' Association for Considering the Roadside Station," which opposes the project, said, "Looking at the profitability and sustainability of the roadside station plan, there are significant risks. I fear that in the future, these risks will lead to a negative legacy. I am concerned that the financial burden will be strained, and that this will negatively impact welfare services for citizens and other public services." Construction of the roadside station is scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2027. A referendum ordinance bill to decide whether or not to proceed with construction will be put to a vote on July 6th.