Nishiseto Expressway
Encyclopedia
The , often called the is an expressway in Japan
that connects Onomichi, Hiroshima
and Imabari, Ehime
, going through nine of the Geiyo Islands together, including Ōshima
, Umashima, and Innoshima
. It has a scenic sea view and can be easily crossed with bicycle
s and moped
s as well as cars.
The expressway contains ten bridges, including the Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge
, the world's longest series of suspension bridge
s, and the Tatara Bridge
, the world's second longest cable-stayed bridge
. It was opened on May 1, 1999, and is 59.4 kilometers long, sporting four lanes and separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
that connects Onomichi, Hiroshima
Onomichi, Hiroshima
is a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, facing the Inland Sea.As of January 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 148,085 and a population density of 520 persons per km². The total area is 284.85 km²...
and Imabari, Ehime
Imabari, Ehime
is a city located in Ehime, Japan. It is the second largest city in Ehime prefecture.Following a recent merger, the city has an estimated population of 172,384 and density of 410.87 persons per km². The total area is .-Transportation:...
, going through nine of the Geiyo Islands together, including Ōshima
Oshima, Ehime
is an island in the Seto Inland Sea that lies between the larger islands of Honshū and Shikoku in Japan. It is part of Ehime Prefecture and is governed by the city of Imabari....
, Umashima, and Innoshima
Innoshima, Hiroshima
was a city located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.On January 10, 2006 Innoshima, along with the town of Setoda, from Toyota District, was merged into the expanded city of Onomichi....
. It has a scenic sea view and can be easily crossed with bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s and moped
Moped
Mopeds are a type of low-powered motorcycle designed to provide economical and relatively safe transport with minimal licensing requirements.Mopeds were once all equipped with bicycle-like pedals , but moped has been increasingly applied by governments to vehicles without pedals, based on their...
s as well as cars.
The expressway contains ten bridges, including the Kurushima-Kaikyō Bridge
Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge
The , which connects the island of Ōshima to the main part of Shikoku, is the world's longest suspension bridge structure and was completed in 1999. The bridge is part of the Shimanami Kaidō, an expressway that spans a series of islands and connects Hiroshima Prefecture in Honshū to Ehime...
, the world's longest series of suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
s, and the Tatara Bridge
Tatara Bridge
The is a cable-stayed bridge that is part of the Nishiseto Expressway, commonly known as the Shimanami Kaidō しまなみ海道. The bridge has a center span of . As of 2010 it has the fourth longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge after the Sutong Bridge...
, the world's second longest cable-stayed bridge
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....
. It was opened on May 1, 1999, and is 59.4 kilometers long, sporting four lanes and separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists.