Wakato Bridge, Steel suspension bridge in Kitakyushu, Japan.
Description
Wakato Bridge is a steel suspension bridge spanning Dokai Bay in Kitakyushu, stretching 627 meters (2060 feet) with a central section of 367 meters (1200 feet) and a deck 19.6 meters (64 feet) wide. It links the Wakamatsu and Tobata districts, carrying a roadway that was first built with two lanes and later widened to four.
History
The crossing opened in September 1962 and set construction records in Japan at the time, using the most advanced engineering methods for suspension bridges in Asia. In the 1980s it was expanded from two to four lanes to handle growing traffic demand.
Culture
The name Wakato combines characters from the two linked districts: Waka from Wakamatsu and To from Tobata. This naming approach shows how geographic terms in the region mark connections between places.
Practical
All toll charges were removed in 2018, so the roadway is now free to use. The four lanes offer enough capacity for daily traffic between the two districts.
Did you know?
During construction in the early 1960s, engineers used light refraction techniques to measure strain on the structure, since modern computer methods did not yet exist. These optical procedures allowed them to observe deformations accurately and check structural integrity without digital tools.
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Yawata Steel Works
1.2 km
明治學園小學校、中學校和高等學校
2.6 km
Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History & Human History
3.8 km
West Japan Industrial Club
2.7 km
Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art
3.7 km
Zaturn
3.4 km
Titan
3.1 km
天籟寺
2 km
Wakamatsu Ebisu-jinja
498 m
Yomiya Park
2.4 km
Edamitsu-hachimangū
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2.3 km
Venus GP
3.5 km北九州交通公園・市立交通安全センター
3.6 kmTimes若松本町3丁目
851 mSL
960 mYawata Steel Works Former Head Office
3.3 kmWork of art
3.7 km高塔山展望台
1.7 km鞘ヶ谷駐車場
3.5 km
Tobihata Hachiman-gū
1.4 kmScenic viewpoint
3.8 km吉田磯吉銅像
1.9 km火野葦平文学碑
1.6 km仏舎利塔
2.1 kmMemorial
2.2 kmMemorial
2.2 kmMemorial
2.2 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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