World’s steepest bridge so high people are ‘terrified’ of it – cost £119m to build | World | News

A bridge so steep it has been dubbed the ‘rollercoaster bridge’ is situated in Japan and sees thousands of vehicles cross it every day. Widely regarded as the steepest in the world, the Eshima Ohashi bridge connects Matsue, in the Shimane Prefecture, with Sakaiminato in the Tottori Prefecture.

People say they have ‘nightmares’ after viewing photographs and footage of this extraordinary bridge, which cost a staggering £119m to build. In certain images, it appears as though vehicles must ascend at an incredibly sharp angle.

Stretching approximately 1.1 miles in length, it rises to 147 feet as it spans the Nakaumi Lake.

The bridge was built between 1997 and 2004, replacing a drawbridge that had previously stood in its place. That former structure, however, suffered from several significant design flaws.

For example, it was only capable of handling 4,000 vehicles per day. Today, roughly 14,900 vehicles make the crossing within a 24-hour period.

It was also obstructed by passing ships for approximately eight minutes at a time, and only vehicles weighing under 14 tons were permitted to use it.

In terms of its gradient, it measures approximately 6.1% on the Shimane side, which is where it is most frequently photographed. On the opposite side, it is marginally shallower at 5.1%.

Images and footage of the bridge regularly set social media alight, igniting debate over its so-called ‘terrifying’ appearance. One user shared their reaction on Reddit, saying: “One of my lifelong reoccurring nightmares involves bridges that look like this.”

Another wrote: “Oh. My. God. I get terrified shivers just looking at these pictures. Massive phobia of heights, I don’t think I’d do well on that bad boy.”

It is worth noting, however, that photographs of this bridge are commonly taken using a telephoto lens, which tends to make it look considerably more dramatic than it actually is. That said, it remains notably steep, and extra vigilance is required during the winter months to stop it from becoming coated in ice and snow.

According to the Japan National Tourist Organisation, it is regularly cited as one of the ‘craziest’ or ‘scariest’ bridges in existence. Even without a vehicle, visitors are welcome to walk or cycle across it, and it provides a spectacular setting for photographs.

Furthermore, telescopes and binoculars are on hand for tourists wishing to gaze out across the lake when conditions allow.