Explore the awe-inspiring world of the largest bridges spanning waterways, showcasing remarkable feats of engineering and architectural prowess. While the United States boasts a few lengthy bridges, most are overseas. Delve into the allure of the world’s longest and most picturesque bridges, each symbolizing remarkable building and engineering achievements that captivate the imagination.
Bridges that span water have been used to link distant settlements and facilitate transportation across vast expanses of water since the time of the ancient Romans and the Chinese. These days, they represent cutting-edge engineering and design and the incredible results that can be obtained when hard work and creativity come together. Are you someone who loves to travel and take in the sights, or is fascinated by technical marvels? Read this list of the longest bridges that span water if you haven’t already!
10:American Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
An impressive feat of engineering, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel links the mainland to Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Using concrete pilings, the bridge-tunnel complex submerges into a network of tunnels. The roughly 17.6-mile-long complex was initially opened in 1964 and has two bridges and two tunnels, each measuring 2 miles in length. Due to its extreme size, it held the record for the world’s most extended bridge-tunnel complex until 2018. It can accommodate a maximum of four east-west traffic lanes, two on each side.
9:Portugal’s Vasco da Gama Bridge
This magnificent 17-kilometer-long bridge links Lisbon to the southern Algarve region and is named after the Portuguese navigator who was the first to reach India by water. Built between 1995 and 1998, it stands as the longest bridge in Europe and held the record for world length for eight years until a Japanese bridge overtook it. Huge concrete pillars, each longer than a football field, support the building, which is engineered to endure high winds and earthquakes.
8:Singapore’s Penang Bridge
One of the otherworldly bridges worth gazing upon is the Penang Bridge, which links the island of Penang to the Malay Peninsula. It is an engineering wonder, measuring 8.4 miles (13.5 km) in length and including six lanes. Connecting Butterworth and Georgetown on Penang Island is one of Asia’s longest bridges, having finished in 1985. Drivers must pay a toll to cross the bridge, but seeing Georgetown and its famous skyscrapers from up there is well worth it.
7: Japan’s Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge
Modern Japan is home to the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world. After 20 years of construction (beginning in 1989) and an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet, it opened to the public in 1998. Its graceful white towers, which have come to represent Kobe, stand on steel wires and are easily recognizable. The two-story bridge has pedestrian walkways and a driving lane on each level. It also has almost 1,600 lights.
6. Canada’s Confederation Bridge
The 8-mile-long Confederation Bridge, which connects Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick across the Northumberland Strait, was inaugurated in 1997 following nearly a decade of construction. It rises over the waters of the strait in certain sections and is known as the longest bridge in the world that crosses ice-covered water; thousands of cars travel it daily. Because of the tremendous winds, it is one of the world’s most perilous bridges, and only specific types of vehicles are allowed to cross it. Its one-of-a-kind layout lets ships of all sizes pass underneath, including the world’s largest supertankers!
5. Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge
The Great Belt Bridge in Denmark is crossed by a car.
The Great Belt Bridge, an impressive architecture that links the Danish islands of Funen and Zealand, is a lifesaver for long-distance Danes. The bridge is the third-largest suspension bridge in the world, with a main span of 1,624 meters and supported by concrete pillars. It has been an iconic symbol of Denmark since its completion in 1998 and is considered one of the country’s most remarkable buildings. Bicyclists seeking a breathtaking ocean panorama will find the Great Belt Bridge’s unique bicycle track an exhilarating attraction.
4: The United States of America’s Manchac Swamp Bridge
The skyline of New Orleans, Louisiana;
Currently, Asia (and China in particular) appears to be home to the vast majority of the world’s longest bridges. The Manchac Swamp Bridge is one of the few American structures that has made it this far. Louisiana is home to this enormous twin trestle bridge made of concrete. It is roughly 22.8 miles (36.69 kilometers) long.
It is not only the longest bridge in the United States Interstate Highway System but also one of the longest bridges across the water in the world. The bridge’s piles must drive some 250 feet into the marsh.
3: the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge in the USA
Bossier City, Louisiana, USA – Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets
The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge is another Louisiana bridge that runs parallel to the other. Part of Interstate 10, it connects Baton Rouge with Lafayette. It is eighteen miles long and ranks as the second-longest bridge on the interstate system and the third-longest bridge in the nation. It was inaugurated in 1973.
2: The Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge and the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque For Brunei
One of the world’s tiniest countries is home to the Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge, which is worthy of attention because it is one of the largest bridges in the world. This bridge spans Brunei Bay and is known as the Temburong Bridge and the Brunei Bay Bridge. Before the bridge, the only way between Brunei’s two parts was to go into Malaysia. Spanning 19 miles, it outstrips all other Southeast Asian bridges in length.
1: the Roman Bridge in Spain
Due to its status as the longest remaining Roman bridge (longer ones existed but have since been lost), the Roman Bridge (also known as Puente Romano) deserves special recognition. Its Spanish setting is at Merida on the Guadiana River. Its original 62-span length was 755 meters or 2,477 ft.
Three of the sixty spans are now submerged in the bank. Although it has only been used by pedestrians since 1991, it is still in operation.
FAQ :
Which is the world’s largest bridge spanning across water?
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is a bridge that spans Lake Pontchartrain.
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the world’s longest uninterrupted bridge built across a body of water. It connects the metropolitan region of New Orleans, Louisiana, with the less populous towns on the northern coast of Lake Pontchartrain.
Which bridge holds the record for being the longest in the world that spans over a river?
The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is officially the longest bridge in the world. Spanning precisely 102.4 miles (164.8 kilometers), this railway segment is an integral element of China’s vital high-speed train route connecting Beijing and Shanghai.
Which bridge has the highest cost?
The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge has the title for being the most costly bridge globally, with a construction price tag of approximately $20 billion. The bridge-tunnel-island complex spans a distance of 55 kilometers (34 miles) and serves as a connection between Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau in China.
