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