Third Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge, Suspension bridge in Imabari, Japan
The Third Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge is a suspension bridge crossing the Kurushima Strait in Ehime Prefecture, stretching 1570 meters with towers reaching 184 meters high. The structure provides separate pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorized vehicles across its full length.
The bridge was completed in 1999 and forms part of the Shimanami Kaido expressway connecting Honshu to Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea. It was built to provide a direct route between the islands, transforming how people and goods could move across the region.
The name reflects the straits it crosses and the bridge has become part of the daily journey for people traveling between islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Walkers and cyclists experience the openness of crossing over water, with views of passing boats and distant shorelines that make the journey memorable.
The bridge uses a toll system for vehicles while pedestrian and bicycle access is free, making it easy to plan your crossing. Weather conditions can change quickly in this strait, so checking forecasts beforehand helps ensure a comfortable walk or ride.
This bridge is part of the world's first system of three connected suspension bridges, a configuration found nowhere else. The design allows roughly a thousand vessels daily to pass beneath it, keeping one of Asia's busiest maritime routes flowing.
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