KAWASAKI -- More than three decades after the idea was first put forward, an expressway beneath Tokyo Bay opened Thursday with simultaneous ceremonies in Kanagawa and Chiba prefectures.
The new Tokyo Bay Aqualine incorporates the world's longest undersea tunnel for motor vehicles, linking Kawasaki to Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture. Drivers can now cross Tokyo Bay in roughly 15 minutes.
The expressway consists of a 9.5-km undersea tunnel that starts in Kawasaki, a 4.4-km bridge from Kisarazu, two man-made islands -- one with a five-story parking building -- and additional access roads. About 150 vehicles driven by invited guests participated in parades that started separately from both the Kawasaki and Kisarazu sides Thursday morning.