Thursday 18th December 1997
A unique bridge-and-tunnel expressway across Tokyo Bay opened to traffic. The Trans-Tokyo Bay Motorway was named the Tokyo Bay Aqualine, a toll highway that spans the narrowest gap of Tokyo Bay. The 9.3 mile (15 kilometre) expressway, connects Kisarazu City of Chiba Prefecture with Kawasaki City of Kanagawa Prefecture, making it possible to make a round-trip of the bay by car. Of the total length, 2.7 miles (4.4 kilometres) from the Kisarazu side is a bridge and 5.9 miles (9.5 kilometres) from the Kawasaki side is an undersea tunnel, which is the world’s longest undersea tunnel, running 60 metres 197 feet (60 metres) deep under the surface of the water.