10 Longest Bridges In The World  

Humans can create astounding structures, like bridges that connect distances separated by water, hills, or just a large expanse of land. These spectacular feats of engineering are key components of a nation’s transportation network. So, in light of that, we dedicated this article to the ten longest bridges in the world.

Related Read: Cleanest Water In The World.

Ten Longest Bridges in the World 

Quick links to the ten longest bridges in the world:

1. Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge (China, 102.4 miles)

The Longest Bridge in the World.

The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) designed the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in 2006. The bridge was completed in November 2010, winning the Guinness World Record for being the longest bridge in the world. 

Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is almost 165 kilometers long. It is one part of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail line. The longest bridge in the world connects Shanghai and Nanjing in Jiangsu province.  The bridge links different parts of China- Danyang, Changzhou, Wuxi, Suzhou, and Kuushan.  

The bridge primarily runs over land, except at Suzhou. It crosses over parts of Yangcheng Lake. It also runs over lowland rice paddies, canals, rivers, and lakes. The bridge also has four train stations. The construction of the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge costs over $8 billion.    

An estimated number of 10,000 workers constructed the bridge. These large numbers of workers included engineers, laborers, and other professionals. They used tons of steel cables and structures to ensure the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge could withstand typhoons and magnitude-eight earthquakes. 

China focused on constructing the world’s longest bridge to solve industrial and public transportation problems.

2. Cangde Grand Bridge  (China, 72 miles)

Cangde Grand Bridge is the third longest bridge in the world. Completed in 2010, it is part of China's Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. 

The bridge has over 3000 piers designed to withstand high magnitudes of earthquakes and other natural disasters. The bridge reduces transportation time between Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China to 30 minutes, carrying the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. 

3. Beijing Grand Bridge (China, 29.9 miles)

Beijing Grand Bridge is a long railway viaduct on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. It is the fourth bridge connected to the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. The construction of the 48-kilometer-long bridge finished in 2010. 

4. Tianjin Grand Bridge (China, 70.6 miles)

Tianjin Grand Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world. The high-speed rail is 113 kilometers long, running between Langfang and Qingxian. 

Like the other bridges that make up the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail, construction started in 2006 and ended in 2010. The public started using it in 2011. 

In 2011, it was the second-longest bridge in the world. The design for Tianjin Grand Bridge was a viaduct. They constructed it using a series of piers and arches as support. With elevated tracks, they avoided using many structures for crossing roads and railways. 

It also reduced the construction duration by a great deal. The bridge has box girders that are 32 meters long and weigh 860 tons each. The Chinese government spent about $20 million on constructing the second-longest bridge in the world in 2011.

5. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (United States, 23.9 miles)

The construction of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway took 14 months. It is an iconic symbol of American engineering. It holds the record for the longest continuous span over water [3]. New Orleans realized how tedious driving around Lake Pontchartrain was. 

They created the New Orleans Expressway Commission to build the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway bridge. The Causeway is about 38 kilometers long and divided into two 10-meter-wide lanes. 

The first bridge opened in 1956, while the second opened in 1969. Aside from its length, another awesomeness factor is its resiliency against multiple hurricanes.

The southbound bridge area has over 2000 decks, while the north bridge area has 1500 decks. The decks contain precast prestressed concrete girders and rails. 

Over 9000 precast bent resting on hollow, precast, post-tensioned concrete piles support the bridge. The southern pile has two piles, while the northern pile has three. 

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway has a bascule drawbridge that allows ships to pass through. According to the official website, the drawbridge is not open from 5:30 am to 9:30 am and 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm because of heavy traffic. Ships must schedule an opening outside these periods to pass. 

The Causeway also has numerous traffic lights and security cameras for public safety. There’s a toll booth at the end of the north bridge.

6. The Constitution of 1812 Bridge (Spain, 1.9 miles)

The Constitution of 1812 Bridge, also known as La Pepa Bridge, is one of the longest bridges in the world. It is 10,144 feet long and 113 feet wide. The bridge crosses from the mainland to Cadiz¹, after the Carranza Bridge. 

La Pepa Bridge is one of the highest bridges in Europe. There are two lanes for metropolitan public transport and two lanes for vehicles. The design for the bridge started in the 1970s, construction began in 2008, and it became accessible on September 24, 2015. 

The Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda of Spain directed the construction of the Constitution of 1812 bridge. The bridge helps link different cities together and reduces traffic congestion. It improved the transportation of goods and services.

7. Öland Bridge (Sweden, 3.8 miles)

There are long bridges in the world across various cities and regions. Öland Bridge is a colossal feat of Swedish engineering. The 6 feet long bridge is a connection between Öland and the mainland. 

The government rejected the initial proposal to create a permanent connection between these areas in 1932. However, the Swedish parliament accepted it in 1966. The bridge was the first longest bridge in Europe from 1972 to 1998. It remains the longest bridge in Sweden. 

According to the official website, Öland Bridge is 6,072 meters long, 13 meters wide, and 36 meters high. There are 155 pillars of reinforced concrete supporting the bridge. The highest secretion of the pillars contains six pillars measuring 130 meters each.

8. Incheon Bridge (South Korea, 13.3 miles)

Building the Incheon Bridge in South Korea costs $2 billion. It is the longest bridge in Korea, measuring 21 kilometers long. And also the 7th longest bridge in the world in terms of length and 5th in the world for its 800m gap between two towers. 

It ranks 6th on the list of the world’s most beautiful cable-stayed bridges. Incheon Bridge is an 18-kilometer-long cable-stayed bridge. It is a major connection hub in South Korea.  

It connects Yeongjongdo Island and Songdo Island. Incheon Bridge provides easy access to Seohaean Expressway and Gyeongin Expressway 2 & 3, reducing the duration for people to get to the Incheon International Airport by 40 minutes².

9. Mackinac Bridge (United States, 5 miles)

The Mackinac Bridge is an astounding construction. David B. Steinman designed it. It began operating in 1957. Construction took 48 months, leading to a total cost of $99.8 million. It is the world's largest suspension bridge. 

According to the island's official website, the bridge has a length of 8,614 feet, connecting the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan. It stretches over the Straits of Mackinac, a body of water connecting lakes Michigan and Huron.

David designed the bridge to withstand high winds, temperature changes, and constant weight changes.

10. Vasco da Gama Bridge (Portugal, 10.7 miles)

Named after the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama, the Vasco da Gama Bridge is the second-largest bridge in Europe. Construction of the bridge began in February 1995 and opened to the public in March 1998. 

They created the bridge to prevent traffic between Portugal’s northern and southern regions to the capital city.  

Conclusion 

From our list of longest bridges on earth, you can see that China achieved some of the greatest feats of engineering. These bridges provide easy access to the major parts of our cities. We salute the team of professionals who created these structures.