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The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (Akashi-Kaiyo Ohashi) is an
enormous suspension bridge across the Akashi Strait (Akashi-Kaiyo) linking
Maiko in Kobe and Matsuho, on Awaji Island as part of the Honshu-Shikoku
Highway. It has the longest central section of any suspension bridge in the
world.
The original plan was for a mixed railway-road bridge but when the bridge
was begun in April 1986 it was restricted to road only, with six lanes.
Actual construction did not begin until May 1988 and the bridge was opened
for traffic on April 5, 1998. The Akashi Strait is an international waterway
and required a 1500 meter wide lane.
The bridge has three spans. The central span is 1991 meters, with the two
other sections each 960 meters and the bridge is 3911 meters overall. The
central span was originally only 1990 meters but was stretched by a further
meter following the Kobe earthquake on January 17, 1995.
The total cost is estimated at Yen 500,000,000,000.
Illumination: The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge sports a total of 1737 illumination
lights, 1,084 for the main cables, 116 for the main towers, 405 for the
girders, and for 132 the anchorages. On the main cables three high light
discharged tubes are mounted in the colors red, green, and blue. The RGB
model and computer technology make for a variety of combinations, currently
28 patterns are used for such occasions as national or regional holidays,
memorial days or festivities.
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