This list ranks the world's suspension bridges by the length of the main span (the length of suspended roadway between the towers). The length of main span is the most common method of comparing the sizes of suspension bridges. The length of the main span often correlates with the height of the towers and the engineering complexity involved in designing and constructing the bridge.
Suspension bridges have the longest spans of any type of bridge. Cable-stayed bridges, the next longest design, are practical for spans up to around one kilometer. Thus, the top 14 bridges on this list are also currently the longest 14 spans of all types of vehicular bridges.
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This list only includes bridges that carry automobiles or trains. It does not include cable-stayed bridges, footbridges or pipeline bridges.
Rank | Name | Location | Main span metres |
Main span feet |
Year opened | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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[1] | Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge (The largest from 1998 to the present) |
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1,991 | 6,529 | 1998 |
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[2] * | Xihoumen Bridge | ![]() |
1,650 | 5,414 | see note above |
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[3] | Great Belt Bridge (also known as the Storebælt Bridge; Danish: Storebæltsbroen) | ![]() |
1,624 | 5,328 | 1998 |
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[4] | Runyang Bridge | ![]() |
1,490 | 4,888 | 2005 |
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[5] | Humber Bridge (The longest from 1981 until 1998) |
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1,410 | 4,626 | 1981 |
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[6] * | Jiangyin Suspension Bridge | ![]() |
1,385 | 4,543 | 1999 |
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[7] | Tsing Ma Bridge (the largest carrying road and rail traffic) |
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1,377 | 4,518 | 1997 |
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[8] | Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (The largest from 1964 until 1981) |
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1,298 | 4,260 | 1964 |
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[9] | Golden Gate Bridge (The largest from 1937 until 1964) |
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1,280 | 4,200 | 1937 |
Linked photo | [10] * | Yangluo Bridge | ![]() |
1,280 | 4,200 | 2007 |
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[11] | Högakustenbron (High Coast Bridge) | ![]() |
1,210 | 3,970 | 1997 |
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[12] | Mackinac Bridge | ![]() |
1,158 | 3,800 | 1957 |
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[13] | Minami Bisan-Seto Bridge (Great Seto Bridge) | ![]() |
1,118 | 3,609 | 1989 |
[14] * | Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Second Bosporus Bridge) | ![]() |
1,090 | 3,576 | 1988 | |
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[15] * | Boğaziçi (First Bosporus Bridge) | ![]() |
1,074 | 3,524 | 1973 |
[16] | George Washington Bridge (The largest from 1931 until 1937) |
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1,067 | 3,500 | 1931 | |
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[17] | Third Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge | ![]() |
1,030 | 3,379 | 1999 |
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[18] | Second Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge | ![]() |
1,020 | 3,346 | 1999 |
[19] * | Ponte 25 de Abril (Tagus Bridge) | ![]() |
1,013 | 3,323 | 1966 | |
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[20] | Forth Road Bridge | ![]() |
1,006 | 3,300 | 1964 |
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[21] | Kita Bisan-Seto Bridge (Great Seto Bridge) | ![]() |
990 | 3,248 | 1988 |
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[22] | Severn Bridge | ![]() |
988 | 3,240 | 1966 |
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[23] * | Yichang Bridge | ![]() |
960 | 3,150 | 2001 |
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[24] | Shimotsui-Seto Bridge (Great Seto Bridge) | ![]() |
940 | 3,084 | 1988 |
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[25] * | Xiling Bridge | ![]() |
900 | 2,952 | 1996 |
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[26] * | Humen Pearl River Bridge | ![]() |
888 | 2,913 | 1997 |
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[27] | Ohnaruto Bridge | ![]() |
876 | 2,874 | 1985 |
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[28] | Tacoma Narrows Bridge (westbound) | ![]() |
853 | 2,800 | 1950 |
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[29] | Tacoma Narrows Bridge (eastbound) | ![]() |
853 | 2,800 | 2007 |
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[30] * | Askøy Bridge | ![]() |
850 | 2,789 | 1992 |
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[31] | Innoshima Bridge | ![]() |
770 | 2,526 | 1983 |
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[32] * | Akinada Bridge | ![]() |
750 | 2,461 | 2000 |
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[33] * | Semipalatinsk Bridge | ![]() |
750 | 2,461 | 2000 |
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[34] | Al Zampa Memorial Bridge (New Carquinez Bridge) | ![]() |
728 | 2,388 | 2003 |
[35] * | Hakucho Bridge | ![]() |
720 | 2,362 | 1998 | |
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[36] * | Angostura Bridge | ![]() |
712 | 2,336 | 1967 |
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[37] * | Kanmonkyo Bridge | ![]() |
712 | 2,336 | 1973 |
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[38] | San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge (Yerba Buena Island to anchorage) | ![]() |
704 | 2,310 | 1936 |
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[39] | San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge (San Francisco to anchorage) | ![]() |
704 | 2,310 | 1936 |
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[40] | Bronx-Whitestone Bridge | ![]() |
701 | 2,300 | 1939 |
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[41] | Stord Bridge | ![]() |
677 | 2,221 | 2001 |
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[42] * | Pierre Laporte Bridge | ![]() |
668 | 2,190 | 1970 |
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[43] | Delaware Memorial Bridge I | ![]() |
655 | 2,150 | 1951 |
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[44] | Delaware Memorial Bridge II | ![]() |
655 | 2,150 | 1968 |
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[45] * | Haicang Bridge | ![]() |
648 | 2,126 | 1999 |
[46] * | Gjemnessund Bridge | ![]() |
623 | 2,044 | 1992 | |
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[47] | Walt Whitman Bridge | ![]() |
610 | 2,000 | 1957 |
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[48] * | Tancarville Bridge | ![]() |
608 | 1,995 | 1959 |
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[49] * | New Little Belt Bridge | ![]() |
600 | 1,969 | 1970 |
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[50] | First Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge | ![]() |
600 | 1,969 | 1999 |
Linked photo | [51] * | E'gongyan Bridge | ![]() |
600 | 1,969 | 2000 |
[52] * | Osterøy Bridge | ![]() |
595 | 1,952 | 1997 | |
Linked photo | [53] * | Second Wanxian Bridge | ![]() |
580 | 1,903 | 2004 |
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[54] | Bømla Bridge | ![]() |
577 | 1,893 | 2001 |
[55] * | Rainbow Bridge | ![]() |
570 | 1,870 | 1993 | |
[56] | Ambassador Bridge (The largest from 1929 until 1931) | ![]() ![]() |
564 | 1,850 | 1929 | |
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[57] | Hakata-Ohshima Bridge | ![]() |
560 | 1,837 | 1988 |
Linked photo | [58] * | Zhongxian Yangtze River Bridge | ![]() |
560 | 1,837 | 2001 |
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[59] | Throgs Neck Bridge | ![]() |
549 | 1,800 | 1961 |
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[60] | Benjamin Franklin Bridge (The largest from 1926 until 1929) | ![]() |
533 | 1,750 | 1926 |
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[61] * | Skjomen Bridge | ![]() |
525 | 1,722 | 1972 |
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[62] * | Kvalsund Bridge | ![]() |
525 | 1,722 | 1977 |
Linked photo | [63] * | Matadi Bridge | ![]() |
520 | 1,706 | 1983 |
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[64] * | Kleve-Emmerich Bridge | ![]() |
500 | 1,640 | 1965 |
Linked photo | [65] * | Dazi Bridge | ![]() |
500 | 1,640 | 1984 |
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[66] * | Gwangan Bridge | ![]() |
500 | 1,640 | 2002 |
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[67] | Bear Mountain Bridge (The largest from 1924 until 1926) | ![]() |
497 | 1,632 | 1924 |
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[68] | Williamsburg Bridge (The largest from 1903 until 1924) | ![]() |
488 | 1,600 | 1903 |
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[69] | W. Preston Lane Memorial Bridge I | ![]() |
488 | 1,600 | 1952 |
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[70] * | Newport Bridge (Sen. Claiborne Pell Bridge) | ![]() |
488 | 1,600 | 1969 |
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[71] | W. Preston Lane Memorial Bridge II | ![]() |
488 | 1,600 | 1973 |
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[72] | Brooklyn Bridge (The largest from 1883 until 1903.) | ![]() |
486 | 1,596 | 1883 |
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[73] * | Lions' Gate Bridge | ![]() |
473 | 1,550 | 1938 |
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[74] * | Sotra Bridge | ![]() |
468 | 1,535 | 1971 |
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[75] * | Hirado Bridge | ![]() |
460 | 1,509 | 1977 |
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[76] * | Vincent Thomas Bridge | ![]() |
457 | 1,499 | 1963 |
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[77] | Mid-Hudson Bridge | ![]() |
456 | 1,495 | 1930 |
Linked photo | [78] * | Shantou Bay Bridge | ![]() |
452 | 1,483 | 1996 |
Linked photo | [79] * | Fengdu Bridge | ![]() |
450 | 1,476 | 1996 |
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[80] | Manhattan Bridge | ![]() |
448 | 1,470 | 1909 |
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[81] * | Lysefjord Bridge | ![]() |
446 | 1,463 | 1997 |
[82] | Angus L. Macdonald Bridge | ![]() |
441 | 1,447 | 1955 | |
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[83] | A. Murray MacKay Bridge | ![]() |
427 | 1,400 | 1970 |
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[84] | Triborough Bridge | ![]() |
421 | 1,380 | 1936 |
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[85] * | Älvsborg Bridge | ![]() |
417 | 1,368 | 1966 |
Linked photo | [86] * | Namhae Bridge | ![]() |
404 | 1,325 | 1973 |
Linked photo | [87] * | Aquitaine Bridge | ![]() |
394 | 1,293 | 1967 |
[88] * | Amu Daria River Bridge | ![]() |
390 | 1,280 | 1964 | |
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[89] * | Cologne Rodenkirchen Bridge | ![]() |
378 | 1,240 | 1954 |
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[90] | St. Johns Bridge | ![]() |
368 | 1,207 | 1931 |
[91] * | Wakato Narrows Bridge | ![]() |
367 | 1,204 | 1962 | |
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[92] * | Mount Hope Bridge | ![]() |
366 | 1,200 | 1929 |
Linked photo | [93] | Ogdensburg Prescott International Bridge (Seaway Skyway) | ![]() ![]() |
351 | 1,151 | 1960 |
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[94] * | Hercilio Luz Bridge | ![]() |
340 | 1,115 | 1926 |
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[95] | Bidwell Bar Bridge | ![]() |
338 | 1,108 | 1965 |
Linked photo | [96] * | Varodd Bridge | ![]() |
337 | 1,106 | 1956 |
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[97] | Tamar Bridge | ![]() |
335 | 1,100 | 1961 |
[98] * | Feda Fjord Bridge | ![]() |
335 | 1,100 | 2006 | |
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[99] * | Deer Isle Bridge | ![]() |
329 | 1,088 | 1939 |
Linked photo | [100] * | Otto Beit Bridge | ![]() ![]() |
328 | 1,085 | 1939 |
Linked photo | [101] * | Rombak Bridge | ![]() |
325 | 1,066 | 1964 |
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[102] * | Nærøysund Bridge | ![]() |
325 | 1,066 | 1981 |
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[103] * | Simon Kenton Bridge | ![]() |
323 | 1,060 | 1932 |
[104] * | Île d'Orléans Bridge | ![]() |
323 | 1,059 | 1936 | |
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[105] * | John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge (The largest from 1867 until 1883) | ![]() |
322 | 1,057 | 1867 |
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[106] * | Dent Bridge | ![]() |
320 | 1,050 | 1971 |
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[107] * | Cologne Mulheim Bridge | ![]() |
315 | 1,033 | 1951 |
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[108] | Wheeling Suspension Bridge (The largest from 1849 until 1867) | ![]() |
308 | 1,010 | 1849 |
Linked photo | [109] * | Konohana Bridge | ![]() |
300 | 984 | 1987 |
Linked photo | [110] * | Chavanon Viaduct | ![]() |
300 | 984 | 2000 |
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[111] | Yeongjong Grand Bridge (the largest self-anchored suspension bridge) | ![]() |
300 | 984 | 2000 |
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[112] * | Elizabeth Bridge | ![]() |
290 | 951 | 1964 |
[113] * | Tjeldsund Bridge | ![]() |
290 | 951 | 1967 | |
Linked photo | [114] * | Grand-Mère Bridge | ![]() |
289 | 948 | 1929 |
[115] * | Puente Colgante de Occidente (West Suspension Bridge) | ![]() |
287 | 940 | 1894 |
Many bridges with shorter span.
It is also possible to rank suspension bridges by the total length of suspension. Note that some of these bridges have more than two anchorages, so these are actually multiple bridges. Having more than two towers without a central anchorage could be unstable in some conditions. A modern exception was the design of the proposed Chacao Channel bridge, a project which has been canceled. This innovative bridge was to have two main spans, made possible by the use of a rigid central tower composed of two side-by-side A frames. The stiffness of these frames (as opposed to the flexibility of the usual spar tower) prevents transmission of significant dynamic forces between the mainspans, ensuring dynamic stability in various wind conditions.
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