Akashi Kaikyō Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Akashi Kaikyō Bridge 明石海峡大橋
Akashi Kaikyō Bridge from the air, December 2005
Coordinates	34°36′58″N 135°01′14″E / 34.6162°N 135.0205°E / 34.6162; 135.0205
Carries	Six lanes of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway and four emergency lanes
Crosses	Akashi Strait
Locale	Awaji Island and Kobe
Other name(s)	Pearl Bridge
Maintained by	Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway Company Limited (JB Honshi Kōsoku)
Characteristics
Design	Suspension bridge
Total length	3,911 metres (12,831 ft; 2.430 mi)
Height	282.8 metres (928 ft) (pylons)
Longest span	1,991 metres (6,532 ft; 1.237 mi)
Clearance below	65.72 metres (215.6 ft)
History
Designer	Satoshi Kashima
Construction begin	1988
Construction end	1998
Opened	April 5, 1998
Statistics
Toll	¥2,300
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The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge (明石海峡大橋, Akashi Kaikyō Ō-hashi), also known as the Pearl Bridge, is a very long suspension bridge in Japan. It holds the record for being the longest suspension bridge in the world!

This amazing bridge connects Honshu island with Awaji Island across the Akashi Strait. It's a key part of the Honshu-Shikoku Highway, making it easy for cars to travel between these areas.

Building the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge

Building this huge bridge started in May 1988. It took ten years to complete. The bridge officially opened on April 5, 1998.

The cost to build the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge was about 500 billion Japanese yen. That's a lot of money, but it created an important link for travel and trade.

Fun Facts About the Bridge

• The Akashi Kaikyō Bridge is a suspension bridge. This means its road deck hangs from strong cables that are supported by tall towers.
• Its main span, the distance between the two main towers, is 1,991 meters (about 1.24 miles) long. This makes it the longest main span of any suspension bridge in the world.
• The total length of the bridge is 3,911 meters (about 2.43 miles).
• The two main towers of the bridge are incredibly tall, reaching 282.8 meters (about 928 feet) into the sky. That's almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower!
• The bridge is designed to carry six lanes of traffic for the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway. It also has four emergency lanes.
• It crosses the Akashi Strait, a busy shipping channel. The bridge is high enough for large ships to pass underneath it safely.

Images for kids

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  Main supporting towers

See also

In Spanish: Gran Puente de Akashi Kaikyō para niños