Lighting of Bandai Bridge [Niigata Prefecture]

Fig. 1 Street lighting on the bridge (day time)

Fig. 2 Street lighting on the bridge (night time operation)

Brief summary

The Bandaibashi spanning the Shinano River in Niigata Prefecture is a continuous arch bridge of reinforced concrete, which was completed on August 23, 1929. It is an important bridge on National Road 7. (Length of bridge 306.9 m, width 22.0 m)

The Bandaibashi has been used continuously as a bridge for more than 70 years and is an invaluable monument of historic value among the many bridges on the National Roads in Japan.

The current third generation Bandaibashi has been widely popular among the many citizens as a symbol of Niigata City, and August 2004 was the 75^th anniversary of the completion of the bridge.

Deterioration of the bridge railing, lighting facilities, and pavement had become obvious, so renovation of the street lighting, side lighting of the bridge, and improvements to the bridge railing and road surface was done with the aims of improving traffic safety and the aesthetic and environmental aspects of the Bandaibashi. This work was completed in September 2004.

The Council for the Protection of Cultural Properties recommended that the Bandaibashi be designated as a nationally important cultural property on April 16, 2004, and it was designated as such with an official gazette announcement on July 6, 2004.

• Location: Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
• Client: Niigata National Road Office, Hokuriku District Office Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
• Restoration supervision: Nagumo Design Office
• Design: Kaihatsu Giken Co., Ltd.
• Construction: Ouyou Dengyou Co., Ltd.
• Completion of construction: September 2004
• Materials provided by: Full member Katsuji Ishizaki (Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd.)
  Photographs (Fig. 1-Fig. 3): Copyright Iwasaki Electric Co., Ltd. 2004

*This text is quoted from “Data Sheet of Illumination“ published in the Journal of IEI-J, Vol. 90, Number 1,January 2006. The journal article contains a description of the illumination facilities.