東京全長2.6公里新橋開幕

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

東京の新名所として注目が集まる「東京ゲートブリッジ」が開通するのを前に、１１日、関係者が集まって記念の式典が開かれました。
東京ゲートブリッジは、東京・江東区の若洲と東京港の埋め立て地を結ぶ全長およそ２．６キロの橋で、周辺の幹線道路の渋滞緩和を目的に、国と東京都が１１２５億円をかけて建設しました。
１２日の開通を前に、江東区側の橋の入り口で記念の式典が開かれ、関係者がテープにはさみを入れてくす玉を割り、完成を祝いました。
続いて、電気自動車や大型バスなどが、完成したばかりの橋をゆっくりとパレードしました。
国土交通省によりますと、東京ゲートブリッジの開通で、周辺の羽田空港や東京港のコンテナふ頭など臨海部に集まる物流拠点へのアクセスが大きく向上し、年間１９０億円の経済効果があるということです。
また、橋には歩行者が渡れるように歩道が整備され、都心の高層ビルや富士山などの眺望が楽しめることから、東京の新名所として注目が集まっています。
東京ゲートブリッジは、１２日午前１０時に開通します。

(試譯文)
On the 11th at the "Tokyo gate bridge" which had drawn attention as a new famous spot in Tokyo, before it was open for traffic, people concerned were gathering and the commemorative ceremony was held.

The "Tokyo gate bridge" was a bridge that had about 2.6 km in full length and it connected Wakasu of Koto-district, Tokyo, with the reclaimed ground at the Tokyo harbor; it was for the purpose of relieving the traffic congestion surrounding the main road. The country and Tokyo together had spent 112,500 million yen to build it.

The commemorative ceremony was held at the entrance of the bridge at the Koto-district side; and before opening to traffic on the 12th, people concerned put scissors into the tape, cut open the decorative paper ball, and completed the celebration.

Then, electric vehicles, large-sized buss, etc. performed the parade slowly at this just completed bridge.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism the opening of the Tokyo gate bridge to traffic would improve greatly the access to the distribution center gathering near the sea, such as the container wharf surrounding Haneda Airport and the Tokyo harbor; and it was said that there would be an economic benefit of 19 billion yen each year.

Moreover, since the sidewalk had been improved pedestrians could go over a bridge; views such as the skyscrapers in the center of Tokyo and the Mt. Fuji could be enjoyed; attention had been gathered as a famous new spot in Tokyo.

The "Tokyo gate bridge" was opened to traffic at 10:00 a.m. on the 12th.


   Obviously the traffic in Tokyo would be much improved with the opening of this bridge.