The is a
cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge has one or more ''towers'' (or ''pylons''), from which cables support the bridge deck. A distinctive feature are the cables or stays, which run directly from the tower to the deck, normally forming a fan-like pattern o ...
that is part of the
Nishiseto Expressway
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 Set ...
, commonly known as the Shimanami Kaidō しまなみ海道. The bridge has a center span of . As of 2010 it has the fourth longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge after the
Sutong Bridge
The Sutong Yangtze Bridge (; , ) is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Yangtze in China between Nantong and Changshu, a satellite city of Suzhou, in Jiangsu province.
Design and construction
The Sutong Yangtze River Bridge was designed by Dr. ...
. The expressway is a series of roads and bridges that is one of the three routes of the
Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Project connecting the islands of
Honshū and
Shikoku
is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
across the
Seto Inland Sea in Japan. The
Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge is on the same route.
The bridge, which opened on May 1, 1999, carries two lanes of traffic in each direction and has additional lanes for bicycles, motor bikes, and pedestrians.
The Tatara Bridge was originally planned as a
suspension bridge in 1973. In 1989, the design was changed to a cable-stayed bridge with the same span. By building a cable-stayed bridge a large excavation for an anchorage would not be needed, thereby lessening the environmental impact on the surrounding area. The steel towers are high and shaped like an inverted Y. The side-spans are and respectively, and there are also three very small cable spans.
Construction of the bridge took a little more than six years and was accomplished without any accidents. Many technological advancements were part of the design and testing of the bridge.
References
External links
Tatara bridge at Honshū Shikoku Bridge Authority*
{{LongestBridge
, type = cable-stayed
, start = 1999
, end = 2008
, previous = Pont de Normandie
, current = Tatara Bridge
, next = Sutong Bridge
Cable-stayed bridges in Japan
Bridges completed in 1999
Buildings and structures in Ehime Prefecture
Buildings and structures in Hiroshima Prefecture
Roads in Ehime Prefecture
Roads in Hiroshima Prefecture
1999 establishments in Japan