The Tokyo Aqua-Line
The Øresund Bridge comes from Sweden, turns into a tunnel under the sea and reappears in Denmark; both countries united by this wonderful work of engineering. It has a total length of 16 kilometers and connects Denmark with Sweden through the Øresund Strait. The Øresund Bridge was built in 2000 and allows the passage of cars (highway) and trains between Denmark and Sweden. Before its construction, all traffic between the two countries was carried out by ferry.
They’ve done the same thing in Japan. Opened in 1997, the 24-kilometer long Tokyo Bay Aqua Line under Tokyo Bay connects Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture on the west side to Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture on the east side, cutting transportation distance and time around Tokyo Bay, and simultaneously completing a grand ring road network a round the capital that took 50 years to complete.
A causeway extends out into the sea from Kawasaki City to an artificial island which is the entrance to a deep tunnel under Tokyo Bay. Impressive engineering. I’ve never travelled on it. I enjoy living in a time when such things are possible.