Bending and axial compressive stresses are distributed across the whole upper flange of a box girder bridge which has the span-to-depth ratio (B/L) of below 0.5, according to Korea Bridge Design Specifications (Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, 2005). Shear lag phenomenon, however, can take place in the construction phase of cable-stayed bridge, in which stresses combining bending moment due to dead weight and cable vertical compression are induced. This study aims to analyze the effective width of flange over which composite stresses are given, which should be calculated during the construction phase of stiffening girder of single plane cable-stayed box girder bridge. The study results indicate that the full width of stiffening girder can be regarded as the effective flange width when the span-to-depth ratio for the deck is below 0.38. In other words, the area, where shear lag is taken into consideration, is larger than the width of box girder in single plane cable-stayed box girder bridges. Therefore, the current practice of considering the full width as the effective flange width regardless of changes of the span-to-depth ratio during the construction stage can produce an unsafe bridge. If the effective flange width is determined according to the single span structural system in the early stage of construction when the span-to depth ratio for the deck is high and composite stresses of every part expect each end of the bridge are calculated, it can result in a safe structural design. Since the span-to-depth ratio gradually decreases, however, it is appropriate to determine the effective width of flange on the basis of the full width and the cantilever structural system.