The , which connects the island of
Ōshima to the main part of
Shikoku, was the world's longest
suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
structure
when completed, in 1999. The bridge is part of the
Shimanami Kaidō
The , often called the is an expressway in Japan that connects Onomichi, Hiroshima and Imabari, Ehime, going through nine of the Geiyo Islands, including Ōshima, Ōmishima, and Innoshima. The road and multiple bridges crossing across the Seto ...
, an
expressway
Expressway may refer to:
* Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
* Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional s ...
that spans a series of islands and connects
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 8,479 km² (3,274 sq mi). Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama ...
in Honshū to
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,342,011 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 5,676 km2 (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, Toku ...
in Shikoku. The bridge and the expressway were both conceived by the
Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Project.
Construction
The Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge consists of three successive suspension bridges with six towers and four anchorages. There is a shared anchorage that joins each suspension bridge to the next. Its construction is similar to the western portion of
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, known locally as the Bay Bridge, is a complex of bridges spanning San Francisco Bay in California. As part of Interstate 80 in California, Interstate 80 and the direct road between San Francisco and Oakland ...
which is two successive suspension bridges with four towers and one shared anchorage. The bridge's total length of , is just a little longer than the total length of the two tower
Akashi Kaikyō Bridge, which is .
* , main span , ranks 63rd largest
two tower suspension bridge
* , main span , ranks 26th largest
* , main span , ranks 25th largest
See also
*
Akashi Kaikyō Bridge
*
Great Seto Bridge
*
List of longest suspension bridge spans
Notes
External links
Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge home page*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge
Suspension bridges in Japan
Bridges completed in 1999
Buildings and structures in Ehime Prefecture
Roads in Ehime Prefecture
1999 establishments in Japan