The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, which opened Sunday, began serving as a key link early April 6 in regional public transportation as commuter buses carried passengers and trucks brought fresh food from Shikoku and Awaji Island to Hyogo and Osaka prefectures.
The 3,911-meter bridge is part of the 89-km expressway link connecting Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, to Kobe via Awaji Island. Naruto and Awaji Island were already connected by a bridge. Commuter buses operated by the Japan Railway group and other firms will provide the main means of public transportation between Honshu and Awaji Island since passenger ferry services have either been terminated or reduced with the bridge's opening.
A total of 254 bus services will operate on the route. Tourist buses carried many passengers on package tours across the bridge in the morning. Some truck drivers opted for ferryboat services in anticipation of heavy traffic on the bridge. But there was little congestion compared with that seen just after Akashi Kaikyo's opening at 5 p.m. Sunday.