Construction of the Higashi-Osaka Route began in 1967 in preparation for the Expo '70 held in the nearby city of Suita. The first section of the expressway was completed after three years of construction in 1970. The entire expressway was completed by 1976, with the exception of a short section between Osaka Castle and Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace that was left unbuilt until 1978.