[2] The name Jūkan (縦貫, "lengthways") distinguishes it from the Trans-Hokkaido Expressway [ja], the Ōdan (横断, "transverse").

The expressway connects the north of Hokkaido with the south via the city of Sapporo.

Extension of the expressway in the north towards the city of Wakkanai and in the south towards the city of Hakodate is underway; although the Hokkaido Expressway itself is not planned to extend as far as these two cities, various expressway-standard roads (bypasses of National Route 40 to the north and National Route 5 to the south) will cover the remaining distances.

The section from Sapporo-minami Interchange through Sapporo Junction to Sapporo-nishi Interchange on the Sasson Expressway is built to an urban expressway standard and the tolls are charged at a flat rate.

As of March 2008 the toll on this section is 400 yen for regular passenger cars.