Tatara Bridge
Encyclopedia
The is a cable-stayed bridge
that is part of the Nishiseto Expressway
, commonly known as the Shimanami Kaidō しまなみ海道. The bridge has a center span of 890 metres (2,920 ft). As of 2010 it has the fourth longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge after the Sutong Bridge. 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
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 220 metres (722 ft) high and shaped like an inverted Y. The side-spans are 164.5 metres (540 ft) and 257.5 metres (845 ft) 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.
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
that is part of the Nishiseto Expressway
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 together, including Ōshima, Umashima, and Innoshima...
, commonly known as the Shimanami Kaidō しまなみ海道. The bridge has a center span of 890 metres (2,920 ft). As of 2010 it has the fourth longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge after the Sutong Bridge. The expressway is a series of roads and bridges that is one of the three routes of the Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Project
Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Project
The Honshū-Shikoku Bridge Project is a system of bridges connecting the islands of Honshū and Shikoku across the Inland Sea of Japan, which were previously only connected by ferry. It consists of three major connections. All bridges are now controlled by the and the...
connecting the islands of Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
and Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
across the Seto Inland Sea in Japan. The Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge
Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge
The , which connects the island of Ōshima to the main part of Shikoku, is the world's longest suspension bridge structure and was completed in 1999. The bridge is part of the Shimanami Kaidō, an expressway that spans a series of islands and connects Hiroshima Prefecture in Honshū to Ehime...
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
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
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 220 metres (722 ft) high and shaped like an inverted Y. The side-spans are 164.5 metres (540 ft) and 257.5 metres (845 ft) 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.