Tokyo Gate Bridge

[ukiyo]

Tokyo Gate Bridge has finished construction and is now open

Total length: 2.6 km (2,618 meters)
Height: 87.8 m
Longest span: 440 m
Vertical clearance : 54.6 m

Tokyo Gate Opens as Tokyo Tackles Traffic Jams From Rising Population

Tokyo’s “Dinosaur Bridge” opens to vehicles this weekend after 10 years of construction as the world’s largest metropolis tackles traffic jams that slow vehicles to half of Japan’s average highway speed.

The 2,618-meter (1.6-mile) bridge, whose nickname derives from its shape, will bring 19 billion yen ($246 million) in economic benefits a year as it almost halves journey times to container terminals in Tokyo Bay, the government estimates. Built at an estimated cost of 113 billion yen, it’s forecast to carry about 32,000 vehicles a day between eastern Tokyo and a man-made island, where a new container terminal is being built.

The four-lane bridge will be followed by a ring road and two larger loop lines around Japan’s capital. The improvements, spurred by the city’s unsuccessful bid to host the 2016 Olympics, are intended to cut traffic jams in and around the metropolis of more than 35 million people.

“The new bridge will ease congestion in the whole waterfront area,” said Shinichi Ishii, a senior consultant for public management and strategy at Nomura Research Institute Inc. “There is a premium on the value of time in the area, and the economic impact could be two or three times more than government estimates.”

More: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...t-economy.html

[ukiyo]

Nikkei has a video on its construction: http://www.nikkei.com/video/?bclid=6...8998001&scrl=1

Some pictures in their article: http://www.nikkei.com/news/headline/...E0E2E2E2E2E2E2

More: http://www.nikkei.com/news/headline/...E0E2E2E2E2E2E2

^ This article explains the good view from the bridge. It has a panoramic view of Tokyo

From Umi no Mori you can see it:


http://blog.goo.ne.jp/waspring/e/d51...fc015019acfb2b



View from the bridge



Sky Tree



http://tokyo-sky-tree.seesaa.net/

[CF221]

Beautiful! Japan knows best! I don't know how they do it, but everything is organized, clean and good looking over there! And "functionality" doesn't come close to looking horrendous or to resembling deconstructivist, modernist, or all other atrocious buildings which are so abundant everywhere else... I don't know, I guess I'm beginning to like Japan alot! Cheers from Miami, Fl.!

[big-dog]

this is a great dinosaur bridge Bravo!

[Blackraven]

That's one steep uphill and downhill there...........but it should be interesting to drive. I hope I can try driving on that bridge someday.

Btw, the level and quality of Japanese construction never ceases to amaze me. Quality, worksmanship and attention to detail are at a really high level (guess you can't expect less from MLIT )

Fantastic stuff indeed

P.S.
I also notice some circular building or structure (as seen in this pic below):

[sbtcsem]

beautiful

[castermaild55]

http://hot-cat.asablo.jp/blog/img/2012/02/23/1dc78c.jpg