Hamana Bridge, Highway bridge on Route 1 in Hamamatsu, Japan
Hamana Bridge is a highway structure spanning 631.8 meters across the entrance to Lake Hamana near Hamamatsu, connecting inland and coastal areas. The central span measures 240 meters, allowing vessels to navigate beneath the structure.
The structure opened in 1976 as the world's longest plate girder bridge span at that time. It remained the record holder until newer bridges were built elsewhere.
The bridge links communities on either side of the lake entrance, serving as a daily connection for people traveling between coastal areas. It passes through waters that have shaped the rhythm of life for fishing families in this region for generations.
This route permits only motorized vehicles and enforces an 80 kilometer per hour speed limit for safe passage. Pedestrians and cyclists cannot cross this structure.
The bridge remains unlit after dark to protect the local shirasu fishing industry and preserve nesting patterns of loggerhead sea turtles. This choice reveals how infrastructure planning considers both economic and environmental needs.
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