Construction of a pedestrian bridge connecting the New Mito Civic Center (opening in July) and the Keisei Department Store in Izumi-cho, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, began at dawn on March 23. On that day, a bridge girder weighing approximately 27 tons was lifted by crane and fitted into the piers erected at both facilities. Many citizens watched the construction work in the surrounding area and were excited to see the completion of the facilities that symbolize the creation of a bustling Mito city.

The construction work was carried out by closing the national road between the new civic center and the Keisei Department Store to traffic. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's Hitachi-River and National Highway Office, the bridge is approximately 38 meters long, 3.5 meters wide, and 7 meters high to the passageway. It connects the second floors of both facilities. According to the city, the overall project cost is approximately 627 million yen. The bridge structure was assembled in advance near Aoyanagi Park in Mito City's Mizufu-cho.

The bridge girders arrived on a trailer at around 1:30 a.m., and the lifting began at around 2:00 a.m. The huge bridge girders were slowly lifted. Even though it was early in the morning, people gathered to take photos and videos of the giant bridge girders being slowly lifted and perfectly attached to the bridge piers.

A female student, 18, a senior at a high school in the city, who visited with her parents and three children, said that she will be entering a university outside of Ibaraki Prefecture in the spring and that it was the first time for her to see such a large-scale construction project up close. I am looking forward to seeing what the scenery will be like when I return home.

A 14.4-meter-long, 2-meter-wide staircase will be added to the Keisei Department Store side of the bridge. The bridge is scheduled to open in July to coincide with the opening of the museum. The bridge will connect the two facilities and Art Tower Mito together in the "MitoriO" area.