top 10 longest suspension bridges

Ever since I first time drove over the Great Belt in Denmark, bridges have fascinated me. So massive, such masterpiece in engineering, and sometimes it just amazes me how it is possible to make these massive objects, in the middle of the water, in high waves and storms.

All bridges in this article is suspension bridges, which means they are all hold up by pylons and cables. Suspension bridges are all measured in center span, length between the two furthest pylons, so the information can sometimes seems wrong. The bridges listed here is not the longest nor the biggest bridges in the world, for that see the movie last in this article. The different is that suspension bridges are made to withstand storms and waves, they are build, were other bridges can’t hold.

The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is the biggest suspension bridge in the world, it connects the city of Kobe with the island of Awaji in Japan. It was finished in 1998 and have a center span of 1,991m (6,532ft). Before the bridge was build, ferries brought people from the one side to the other, but after several ferries sank in the dangerous waters, that was know for big storms, one storm in 1955 sant two ferries doing a big storm, One of the ferries that sank, 168 children got drowned and public outrage made the Japanese government order the construction of the bridge in 1986 and the bridge was done in 1998. The cost of the bridge was $5 billion and there you have to pay to cross to pay off the expenses. 23.000 cars cross the bridge every day.

1998 was surely the year of the bridges. Same year as the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, the Great Belt Bridge was open for cars. Trains was allowed to cross one year before in 1997. The Great Belt Bridge is the biggest construction project in Denmark ever, and it replaced the ferries that had transported people across for more then a hundred years. The building started in 1986 and in 1991 Finland sued Denmark for making the bridge to low for the Finnish oil drilling platforms to sail under. Denmark had to pay Finland around $20 million and the construction could continue. The Great Belt Bridge is 6,790m (22.277ft) long and have a center span of 1.624m (5,328ft). The pylons are the second highest constructed objects in Denmark, only surpassed by a radio mast. 27.600 cars cross the Belt each day. Under the sea there is a 8km long tunnel for trains.

The Runyang Bridge crosses the Yangtze river. The building of the bridge started in 2000 and was open for cars in 2005, the total cost of the bridge was $700 million (makes it kind of spooky that the Chinese can do the same for 5 times less). The bridge is 1.490m (4.888ft), but China is not done yet and expects to create two more super bridges, Xihouman Bridge 1.650m (5.413) and Qiongzhou Bridge to become the biggest suspension bridge in the World, with amazing 2.500m (8202ft), 509m (1.670ft) more then the current biggest.

The largest suspension bridge from 1981 too 1998 before the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge and Great Belt Bridge opened and punched Humber Bridge off the throne. It crosses the Humber River, even if it is not the biggest, it beats the three biggest with most people that uses it. 120.000 cars crosses the Humber River each day throught this bridge. The building started in 1972 and was finished in 1981, the Humber Bridge have a center span 1.410m (4.626ft).

Just as the Runyang Bridge number 3rd on this list, the Jiangyan also crosses the Yangtze Rive in China, the bridge have a center span on 1.385m (4.544ft). It was the largest suspension bridge in China from 1999 to 2005 when the Runyang took over. The construction of the bridge started in 1994, it only took amazing 3 years to complete the bridge and the bridge was open 1 year after. In 2002 the Jiangyan bridge got a prize for being “Outstanding achievement in bridge engineering”.

The largest suspension bridge that carries both road and trail traffic, most bridges have a tunnel under the water or another path for trains. It goes from the island of Tsing Yi to Ma Wan, were it also got the name from. It have a center span on 1.377m(4.518ft).

This famous bridge connects Brooklyn with Staten Island. It was named after the Italian explore Giovanni da Verrazano, the first known European to enter The Hudson Bay. It is the largest suspension bridge in the US and was the largest in the world between 1964-1981 with a span on 1.298m(4.260ft), and just as the Ysing Ma it have two decks that can take both cars and trains across.

Probably the most famous suspension bridge in the world. Got the name as the Golden Gate because it was here the gold fever was worst and that most people entered, seeking for gold and a new and better life, the bridge is often seen bathing in a beautiful fog. The Golden Gate lays where the Pacific Ocean and the Francisco Bay meets, and it was the largest Suspension bridge from 1937 when it was finished to 1964 when the Verrazano took over. Center span is 1.280m(4.200ft).

The Hogakusten Bridge, is located in northern Sweden and is the second largest suspension bridge in Scandinavia, only beaten by the Great Belt. The center span is 1.210m(3.970ft). It was finished in 1997.

Located in the state of Michigan this is the last bridge on my list, it connects the lower and higher peninsula of Michigan. The center span is 1.158m(3.800ft) and it is locally known as the Big Mac. Before the bridge, 9 ferries transported 9.000 cars over each day, but that was over in 1957 when Big Mac united the state of Michigan, allowing major traffic to cross.

If you are interested in the longest non-suspension bridges in the world, I found this neat little video.

I’m am planning to make more top 10 and if you have any suggestions to what I could do next pst a comment, same if something in this hub is wrong :p