List of longest suspension bridge spans#Completed suspension bridges
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File:1915 Çanakkale Bridge 20220327.jpg in Turkey, opened in 2022, has the longest central span (2,023 m) of any suspension bridge.{{cite web|url=https://www.theb1m.com/video/turkey-has-built-the-worlds-longest-suspension-bridge|title=Turkey Has Built the World's Longest Suspension Bridge|publisher=The B1M|author=Tim Gibson|date=11 May 2022}}]]
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The world's longest suspension bridges are listed according to the length of their main span (i.e., the length of suspended roadway between the bridge's towers). The length of the main span is the most common method of comparing the sizes of suspension bridges, often correlating with the height of the towers and the engineering complexity involved in designing and constructing the bridge.{{cite book |last1=Duan |first1=Lian |year=2014 |chapter=Longest Bridges and Bridge Spans |editor1-last=Chen|editor1-first=Wai-Fah|editor2-last=Duan|editor2-first=Lian |title=Handbook of International Bridge Engineering |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fYcAAQAAQBAJ |location=Boca Raton, Florida |publisher=CRC Press |page=1307 |isbn=978-1-4398-1029-3|access-date=3 February 2015 |via=google books |quote=The total length often reflects a project size, while the span length commonly correlates with the engineering complexity involved in designing and constructing of the bridge. |ref=Duan}} If one bridge has a longer span than another, it does not necessarily mean that the bridge is longer from shore to shore (or from abutment to abutment).
Suspension bridges have the longest spans of any type of bridge. Cable-stayed bridges, the next longest design, are practical for spans up to just over 1 kilometre (the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world has a 1,104m span). Therefore, as of January 2025, the 33 longest bridges on this list are the 33 longest spans of all types of vehicular bridges (other than floating pontoon bridges).
The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey holds the record since opening to traffic in March 2022, with a span of {{convert|2023|m}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzrdNIsGVc0|title=Why Turkey Built the World's Longest Suspension Bridge|date=11 May 2022 |publisher=The B1M|access-date=22 May 2022}}{{cite news |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/groundbreaking-ceremony-for-bridge-over-dardanelles-to-take-place-on-march-18.aspx?pageID=238&nID=110948&NewsCatID=345 |newspaper=Hürriyet Daily News |title=Groundbreaking ceremony for bridge over Dardanelles to take place on March 18 |date=2017-03-17 |access-date=22 May 2022}} Since 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan previously held the record with a span of 1,991 metres (6,532 ft).
Completed suspension bridges
This list includes only completed suspension bridges that carry automobiles or trains that are at least {{cvt|1000|m|ft}} long. It does not include cable-stayed bridges, footbridges, or pipeline bridges.
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| align="center" style="background-color:#dfd" | Green | Denotes bridge that contains or previously contained the longest span in the world |
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Bridges under construction
Most of the large suspension bridges built in recent years have been in the People's Republic of China. As the following list shows, most of the bridges under construction are also in China.
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| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers" |
| style="background:#efefef;"
! style="text-align:left;"|Name ! style="text-align:center;"| Main span ! style="text-align:center;"|Year to open ! style="text-align:left;"| Location ! style="text-align:left;"| Country ! style="text-align:left;"| Ref. |
| Zhangjiagang-Jingjiang-Rugao Yangtze River Bridge (South span)
张靖皋长江大桥南航道桥 |{{Convert|2300|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2028 |Zhangjiagang (Jiangsu) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Shiziyang Bridge
狮子洋大桥 |{{Convert|2180|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2028 (Guangdong) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Yanji Yangtze River Bridge
燕矶长江大桥 |{{Convert|1860|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2025 |Huanggang-Ezhou (Hubei) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Shuangyumen Bridge
双屿门特大桥 |{{Convert|1,768|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2027 |Zhoushan (Zhejiang) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| {{interlanguage link|Nanjing Xianxin Road Yangtze River Bridge|zh|南京仙新路过江通道|lt=|qid=}} 南京仙新路过江通道 |{{Convert|1,760|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2025 |Nanjing (Jiangsu) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Lugu Lake Bridge
泸沽湖特大桥 |{{Convert|1,680|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}https://www.highestbridges.com/wiki/index.php?title=Lugu_Lake_Bridge {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
|2027 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Xiaowan Lancang River Bridge
小湾澜沧江特大桥 |{{Convert|1,575|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
| |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Dadong Jinsha River Bridge
大东金沙江特大桥 |{{Convert|1,520|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2026 {{Coord|23|15|22|N|102|50|06|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Honghe Bridge}} |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Xihoumen Rail / Road Bridge
西堠门公铁两用大桥 |{{Convert|1,488|m|ft|0|sortable=on|abbr=on}} |2026 |Zhoushan (Zhejiang) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge
双柳长江大桥 |{{Convert|1,430|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2026 |Wuhan-Ezhou (Hubei) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge
花江峡谷大桥 |{{Convert|1,420|m|ft|0|sortable=on|abbr=on}} |2025 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |{{Cite web |title="贵州高桥新纪录"花江峡谷大桥建设顺利推进_施工方_马谨_六安 |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/www.sohu.com/a/538313381_610793 |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=www.sohu.com |language=en |archive-date=27 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220627031858/https://www.sohu.com/a/www.sohu.com/a/538313381_610793 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |title=花江峡谷大桥 |url=https://www.gzql.cn/gzqlbwg/33710.shtml |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=www.gzql.cn |archive-date=15 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815014824/https://www.gzql.cn/gzqlbwg/33710.shtml |url-status=dead }} |
| Yongchang Lancang River Bridge
永昌澜沧江大桥 |{{Convert|1,416|m|ft|0|sortable=on|abbr=on}} | |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} | |
| Dahe Bridge 大河特大桥 |{{Convert|1,250|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2027 {{Coord|26|39|51|N|104|50|5|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Dahe Bridge}} |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |{{Cite web |url=http://news.sina.com.cn/gov/2017-11-30/doc-ifypceiq8418557.shtml |title=大国重器打造中国桥梁成为世界"桥"楚 |website=news.sina.com.cn|date=30 November 2017 |access-date=6 December 2017}}{{Cite web|title=Dahe Bridge - HighestBridges.com|url=http://www.highestbridges.com/wiki/index.php?title=Dahe_Bridge|access-date=2020-08-13|website=www.highestbridges.com}} |
| Fuxing Yangtze River Bridge
江龙高速复兴长江大桥 |{{Convert|1,208|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2025 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Zhangjiagang-Jingjiang-Rugao Yangtze River Bridge (North span)
张靖皋长江大桥北航道桥 |{{Convert|1208|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2028 |Jingjiang (Jiangsu) |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Yalong River Bridge
雅砻江特大桥 |{{Convert|1,200|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2028 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Wudongde Jinsha River Bridge
乌东德金沙江特大桥 |{{Convert|1180|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2026 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Chacao Channel bridge
|{{Convert|1,155|m|ft |
| 2|sortable=on|abbr=on}}{{cite web | url=https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/economia-y-negocios/2019/12/08/puente-colgante-de-chacao-se-levanta-con-acero-de-la-region-del-bio-bio.html | title=Puente colgante de Chacao se levanta con acero de la Región del Bío Bío }}
|Calbuco–Chiloé |{{flagu|CHL|name=Chile}} |
| Libu Yangtze River Rail/Road Bridge
李埠长江公铁大桥 |{{Convert|1,120|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2027 {{Coord|30|17|13|N|112|04|42|E|type:landmark|display=inline|name=Libu Yangtze River Rail and Road Bridge}} |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Xingyi Yangtze River Rail/Road Bridge
兴义长江公铁大桥 |{{Convert|1,120|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2028 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Chuandian Jinsha River Bridge 川滇金沙江特大桥 |{{Convert|1,060|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2025 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Sichuan-Tibet Railway Dadu River Bridge 川藏铁路大渡河特大桥 |{{Convert|1,060|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2030 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Sichuan-Tibet Railway Nu River Bridge 川藏铁路怒江特大桥 |{{Convert|1,040|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2030 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
| Kahaluo Jinsha River Bridge
卡哈洛金沙江特大桥 |{{Convert|1,030|m|ft |
| 1|sortable=on|abbr=on}}
|2025 |{{flagu|PRC|name=China}} |
History of longest suspension spans
{{See also|Timeline of three longest spans}}
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||||
| class="unsortable"| Image
! Bridge ! Location ! style="width:65px;"|Length ! Years of !class="unsortable"| Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150px Hypothesized support | Maya Bridge at Yaxchilan | {{flagu|Mexico|name=Mexico}} | {{convert|62|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 600–1430 | Hemp-rope simple suspension footbridge. Existence unproven. No longer standing.
Prior longest bridges are located in List of longest arch bridge spans. Exceeded by the masonry arch Trezzo sull'Adda Bridge from 1377 to 1416, with main span of 72 m. |
| 150px | Chushul Chakzam | Tibet, {{flagu|PRC|name=China}} | {{convert|137|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1430–1820 | Chain suspension footbridge south of Lhasa, built by Thangtong Gyalpo. Reported by British spies to still be in use in 1878. Later (before 1904) fell into disuse after river course changed, swamping the northern end.{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/details/lhasaanditsmyst01waddgoog |title=Lhasa and Its Mysteries : Laurence Austine Waddell : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive |work=Internet Archive |access-date=5 October 2014}} Dynamited by Chinese soldiers after the Battle of Chamdo in 1950.{{cite book |url=http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/savifadok/volltexte/2009/311/pdf/Chakzampa.pdf |title=Chakzampa Thangtong Gyalpo |year=2009 |doi=10.11588/xarep.00000311 |access-date=5 October 2014|last1=Gerner |first1=Manfred |publisher=Heidelberg University Library |isbn=9789993614395 }} |
| 150px | Union Chain Bridge | Scotland–England, {{flagu|United Kingdom|name=UK}} | {{convert|137|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1820–1826 | The oldest in the world still in use today. |
| 150px | Menai Suspension Bridge | Wales, {{flagu|United Kingdom|name=UK}} | {{convert|176|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1826–1834 | |
| 150px | Great Suspension Bridge | Fribourg, {{flagu|Switzerland|name=Switzerland}} | {{convert|271|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1834–1849 | The bridge was replaced by the {{interlanguage link|Zähringerbrücke|de|lt=Zähringen Bridge}} in the 1920s. |
| 150px | Wheeling Suspension Bridge | West Virginia, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|308|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1849–1866 | The longest deck span from 1849 until 1866, and the oldest vehicular suspension bridge in use in the United States until 2019. |
| 150px | Queenston-Lewiston Bridge | {{flagu|US|name=US}} and {{flagu|Canada|name=Canada}} | {{convert|317|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1851–1866 | The longest cable span from 1851 until it was destroyed by wind in 1864. However, the road deck span was only 258 meters long. |
| 150px | John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge | Kentucky–Ohio, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|322|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1866–1869 | |
| 150px | Niagara Clifton Bridge | {{flagu|US|name=US}} and {{flagu|Canada|name=Canada}} | {{convert|384|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1869–1883 | Replaced in 1899. |
| 150px | Brooklyn Bridge | New York City, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|486|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1883–1903 | |
| 150px | Williamsburg Bridge | New York City, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|488|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1903–1926 | It was the longest suspension span but not the longest span of all bridges. The Forth Bridge, completed in 1890, a cantilever bridge with two spans of 521 m was longer until surpassed by the Quebec Bridge in 1917. |
| 150px | Bear Mountain Bridge | New York, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|497|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1924–1926 | It was the longest suspension span but not the longest span of all bridges. The Quebec Bridge completed in 1917, a cantilever bridge with a span of 549 m was longer until surpassed in 1929 by the Ambassador Bridge.
The first suspension bridge to have a concrete deck. The construction methods pioneered in building it would make possible several much larger projects to follow. |
| 150px | Benjamin Franklin Bridge | Pennsylvania–New Jersey, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|533|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1926–1929 | It was the longest suspension span but not the longest span of all bridges. |
| 150px | Ambassador Bridge | {{Flagu|US}} and {{flagu|Canada|name=Canada}} | {{convert|564|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1929–1931 | Since this bridge was built, the record for longest bridge span has only been held by suspension bridges. |
| 150px | George Washington Bridge | New York – New Jersey, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|1067|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1931–1937 | The first span longer than 1 km. Nearly double the length of any previously built bridge at the time of its opening. |
| 150px | Golden Gate Bridge | California, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|1280|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1937–1964 | Also the longest bridge span in the world from 1937 to 1964 |
| 150px | Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge | New York City, {{flagu|US|name=US}} | {{convert|1298|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1964–1981 | Also the longest bridge span in the world from 1964 to 1981 |
| 150px | Humber Bridge | Yorkshire, {{flagu|United Kingdom|name=UK}} | {{convert|1410|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1981–1998 | Also the longest bridge span in the world from 1981 to 1998 |
| 150px | Akashi Kaikyo Bridge | {{flagu|Japan|name=Japan}} | {{convert|1991|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 1998–2022 | Also the longest bridge span in the world from 1998 to 2022. The largest ever increase in length. |
| 150px | Çanakkale 1915 Bridge | {{flagu|Turkey|name=Turkey}} | {{convert|2023|m|ft|abbr=on}} | 2022–Present | The longest bridge span in the world since 2022. The first span longer than 2 km. |
Sources:{{cite book |url=http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/savifadok/volltexte/2009/311/pdf/Chakzampa.pdf |title=Chakzampa Thangtong Gyalpo |last=Gerner |first=Manfred |year=2009 |publisher=Center for Bhutan Studies |doi=10.11588/xarep.00000311 |isbn=9789993614395 |access-date=26 October 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.tkk.fi/Units/Bridge/longspan.html |title=World's Longest Bridge Spans |last=Virola |first=Juhani |publisher=Laboratory of Bridge Engineering (LBE), Helsinki University of Technology |access-date=16 April 2009 |archive-date=28 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928191800/http://www.tkk.fi/Units/Bridge/longspan.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.bridgemeister.com/bridge.php?bid=373 |title=1820 Union Bridge (each bridge is linked to the span that eclipsed it in length) |last=Denenberg |first=David |publisher=Bridgemeister.com |access-date=22 March 2009}}
Other record-holding suspension bridges
- Sidu River Bridge (China). Opened in 2009, it is the highest suspension bridge in the world at 472 m elevation and the second highest bridge of any type.
- San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge Eastern Span (California, United States). Opened in 2013, it is the widest bridge in the world ({{cvt|78.74|m|ft|disp=sqbr}}), the most expensive bridge and the largest self-anchored suspension bridge ever constructed.{{cite web |title=Most Expensive Bridge |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-10000/most-expensive-bridge/ |publisher=Guinness Book of World Records |access-date=24 September 2013}}{{cite web |title=Widest Bridge |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/6000/widest-bridge |publisher=Guinness Book of World Records |access-date=21 September 2013}}
- Tacoma Narrows Bridges (Washington, United States). Opened in 1950 and 2007, the pair of bridges with the longest spans in the world ({{cvt|853|m|ft|disp=sqbr}}).
- Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge (Turkey). Opened in 2016, it has longest span carrying road and rail traffic ({{cvt|1408|m|ft|disp=sqbr}}).
- Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge (China). Opened in 2019 with the longest double deck span ({{cvt|1700|m|ft|disp=sqbr|abbr=}}).{{Cite web|title=World's longest double-deck suspension bridge opens to traffic - Xinhua |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-10/08/c_138456125.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008121525/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-10/08/c_138456125.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 October 2019|website=www.xinhuanet.com|access-date=2020-05-08}}
- George Washington Bridge (New York and New Jersey, United States). Opened in 1931, it is the suspension bridge with the most lanes of traffic (at fourteen total on two levels).
- Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge (Japan). Opened in 1999, it is the world's longest suspension bridge structure.
- Great Seto Bridge (Japan). Opened in 1978 and 1988, it is the longest two-tiered bridge system (but not all of the spans that make up the bridge system are suspension bridges).
- Sky Bridge 721 (Czech Republic). Opened in 2022, it is the longest suspension pedestrian bridge in the world (721 m).{{cite web | url=https://english.radio.cz/worlds-longest-suspension-bridge-opens-czech-republic-8750384 | title=World's longest suspension bridge opens in the Czech Republic | date=13 May 2022 }}
{{Comparison of notable bridges.svg|800px|}}
See also
Notes
{{Reflist|group=note}}
References
{{Reflist}}
:Note: Some of the information posted on the following sites may differ from that above. As of 21 February 2006, the sites were out of date or inaccurate as noted in parentheses
- Denenberg, David, [http://www.bridgemeister.com/index.htm Bridgemeister.com] (an extensive inventory of more than 8,400 suspension bridges)
- Janberg, Nicolas, [http://en.structurae.de/structures/stype/index.cfm?ID=1001 Suspension bridges], Structurae.de (an extensive database of structures including many suspension bridges)
- Durkee, Jackson, [http://bridgeworld.net/wordpress/archives/docs/longest%20bridge.pdf "World's Longest Bridge Spans"], National Steel Bridge Alliance, 24 May 1999 (out of date)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928021126/http://www.strettodimessina.it/PontiMenu-e.html The World's Greatest Bridges], Archive.org copy of The Bridge over the Strait of Messina website (out of date and other errors)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050409141601/http://www.pubquizhelp.34sp.com/misc/bridges.html List of longest spans], Pub Quiz Help (includes bridges that have not yet been completed)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140225062919/http://www.sbi.se/uploaded/dokument/files/Steel%20Bridges%20by%20SBI_ver3.03.pdf Steel bridges in the world, and other bridge statistics], The Swedish Institute of Steel Construction, March 2003 (out of date)
- Virola, Eur Ing Juhani, [https://web.archive.org/web/20080721061954/http://www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=483 Two Millennia - Two Long-Span Suspension Bridges], Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, ATSE Focus No 124, November/December 2002 (revised information up to date as of 2005)
- Virola, Eur Ing Juhani, [http://www.tkk.fi/Units/Bridge/longspan.html World's Longest Bridge Spans] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928191800/http://www.tkk.fi/Units/Bridge/longspan.html |date=28 September 2011 }} Laboratory of Bridge Engineering (LBE), Helsinki University of Technology (includes bridges that have not yet been completed)
Further reading
- {{cite book | last1=Podolny | first1=Walter Jr. |last2=Goodyear |first2=David |title=Structural steel designer's handbook : AISC, AASHTO, AISI, ASTM, AREMA, and ASCE-07 design standards |year=2006 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |location=New York, NY |isbn=0071432183 |pages=15.13–15.16 |edition=4 |editor=Roger L. Brockenbrough |chapter=Cable-suspended bridges}}—includes a list of major suspension bridges by length
External links
- {{in lang|ja}} [http://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/english/technology/progress.html Progress of Center Span on Long-Span Bridges] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510071603/http://www.jb-honshi.co.jp/english/technology/progress.html |date=10 May 2015 }} at the Honshū—Shikoku Bridge Expressway Co.
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Suspension bridges, List of largest
Suspension bridges, List of largest