Tokyo port is the largest container port in Japan with the throughput of over 4 million Teus. To enhance hinterland transportation , one axis freeway across the heart of the port has been developed from early 1990's. At present, construction phase 1, crossing western fairway by underwater tunnel, was already completed and phase 2, crossing eastern fairway by long-span bridge, is under construction to be opened at the middle of 2011.
This long-span bridge, tentatively called 'the Rinkai Ohashi' meaning harborfront main bridge, was planned and designed deliberately to overcome many technical difficulties. First, it was requested to be built within narrow zone of the level, lower than the plane passage of the Tokyo international airport and higher than the mast of vessel navigable in eastern fairway. Second, it was forced to be founded on thick seabed clay and environmentally risky reclamation for waste disposal. Third, it was expected to make a monument symbolizing that Tokyo port is the gateway to Japan from all over the world.

As the result of many studies of both structural and aesthetic fields, 'the Rinkai Ohashi' was decided to be truss box-girder hybrid bridge of steel structure. The whole length of this unique bridge is 760M, with main span of 440M and two side spans of 160M respectively. In detail designs many innovative techniques, such as load and resistance factor design method, three dimensional shell element model analysis and bridge high performance steel, were introduced to attain safety and economy.