Good news for Higo gephyrophiles (or pontists - choose whichever word describing a bridge lover that you’ll never use again): the final deck section of the new Amakusa #1 bridge has been installed.
With the arch completed in November, the 460 meters of decking have been raised from barges in a total of five sections. The last section, weighing 225 tons and 45 meters long, was hoisted and successfully attached today, Feb. 20. Bridge finishing and ancillary roadwork will take another year to complete, with the bridge expected to open in March, 2018. In conjunction with other road improvements, the bridge is expected to halve the current driving time between Kumamoto City and Oyano, Amakusa. - William