The PonsFabricius in Rome, Italy is the oldest known bridge (built in 62BC) and Britain’s engineers have produced some world beating bridges over the years such as the Humber Bridge (was the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge). France hosts the Earth’s tallest bridges, The Millau Bridge, with one of its masts reaching higher than their very own Eiffel Tower. China, however, have well and truly taken up the “big-bridge” mantle with 14 of the 20 longest bridges in operation landing squarely in the emerging economic powerhouse’s soil. The Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge (102 miles), Tianjin Grand Bridge (71 miles) and Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge (50 miles) are the top three and are really a feat of elevated human transportation. But these mammoth connections only ferry rail passengers from point to point so cannot be included in this particular list.
Hangzhou Bay Bridge, China
An S-shaped cable-stayed bridge off the East coast of China briefly had the record of the world’s longest bridge over water at 22.1 miles. The twelve lanes stretching across it make room for travellers wishing to get from Ningbo's Cixi county in the south to Jiaxing in the north shortening the trip by 120km’s and halving the journey time. It took over 700 experts 9 years to even reach the end of their feasibility studies and begin work on building due to its naturally complicated sea environment. The area is prone to typhoons and homes one of China’s natural wonders; the Quiantang River tide one of the three biggest tides on Earth. The bridge cost a total of $1.42bn and is guaranteed a 100 year life span.
Manchac Swamp Bridge, USA
Opened in 1979, this twin concrete trestle bridge in Louisiana carries people a third of the way across Interstate 55 in Louisiana for a total of 22.8 miles. The vast concrete piles were driven 250 feet beneath the swamp floor and is known to be one of the most crowded bridge in America. A bridge across the swamp could be seen as a wise move as it is a supposedly haunted area home to the deadly Rougarou, a New Orleans version of a werewolf. In addition to a werewolf the swamp is thought to be haunted by the ghost of a voodoo priestess. Take care when driving across at night.
Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, USA
This bridge actually consists of a pair of pre-stressed concrete bridges 80 feet apart spanning the lake for 23.8 miles. The first bridge opened to the public in 1956 with the second following suit in 1969. Each weekday 42,000 cars cross the lake on this enormous bridge. Technically Lake Pontchartrain is an estuary not a lake as it connects to the Mississippi Sound and has salt water content. Although travellers on the causeway during the frequent fog, cross winds and thunderstorms would not choose this time to debate its lake status and may eventually have to make a call to the special causeway police.
Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, China
The structure which took 4 years to complete with a cost of £5.5bn is five miles longer than the Dover to Calais crossing at 26.4 miles long. The construction takes the prize for longest bridge over water as it connects Qingdao City, East China’s Shandong province and the Hungdao district spreading across the whole of the Jiaozhou Bay sea area. 450,000 tonnes of steel, 2.3 million cubic metres of concrete, strong enough to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake and the impact of a 300,000 tonne ship all for a shortened journey time of 20 minutes. Some have criticised the massive cost to shave off only 19 miles between Qingdao and Huangdao whereas residents of Qingdao have lauded the effort as long overdue.
Bang Na Expressway, Thailand
Officially named Burapha Withi Expressway, this elevated six lane toll road bridge rises 30 metres above Bangkok, Thailand and stretches out 33.5 miles. The structure was finished in 2000 by French bridge engineer, Jean Muller, taking 1.8 million cubic metres of concrete, 3.5 years and $1bn to finish. Not only does the bridge span 33.5 miles but it also includes an additional 25 miles of ramps and intersections. As with many bridges the intention of this gigantic creation was to better connect the city and, in time, boost flow of goods and links with all of Southern Thailand.
This list is likely to change in the near future with China making plans for further monster bridges that will eclipse what they’ve undertaken already. A trend seems to be emerging born from the bounding Chinese economy.
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