Bridges connect, connect people, connect places over the valleys, water bodies, or any road obstacles. Well, siding this all, bridges show the economy and infrastructure of a place and often some bridges represent the engineering feats of the place. Here is a list of such bridges in America, which distinguish the country from many others. you may travel a lot of bridges, but am sure, you wouldwant to travel at least four to five on this list.
Contents
10. Sunshine Skyway Bridge
The bridge spans Tampa Bay, Florida. It is designed in continuous pre-stressed concrete cable-stayed bridge way. It opened in 1954. However, the original bridge collapsed in 1980 and the new bridge was constructed in 1987. The bridge is made up of steel and concrete. The total length of the bridge is 4.1 miles, approx 6.6 km.
9. General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge
This is its official name. The name fell in honor of Walter K. Wilson, who was a chief engineer with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It is also known as “Dolly Parton” Bridge. It has red warning lights across parallel supported arches, and thus the nickname. It opened in 1980.its design consist of dual tied through arch and beam viaduct. The bridge covers a distance of 6.08 miles, across the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Mobile, Alabama. However a part of this bridge approx 1 mile, was destroyed in a fire on 22 may, 2014.
8. San Mateo-Hayward Bridge
It crosses California’s San Francisco Bay and links San Francisco with the East Bay. The bridge’s west end is in Foster City, and the east edge is in Hayward, linking Interstate 880 with US route 101. The 6 lane bridge is the longest in that area. The bridge opened in 1929, however it was renewed and reopened in 1967. It is 7 miles long, which is approx 11.27 kilometers. the daily traffic at the bridge is estimated to be 93000, source: Wikipedia.
7. Jubilee Parkway
In media, the bridge is often referred as the ‘Bayway’. The name ‘Jubilee parkway’ felt after a phenomenon ‘jubilee’, in Mobile Bay. It is a much-celebrated local event, crabs, fishes, shrimps and other sea creatures swarm into the sea or slither their way into land. The bridge opened in 1978, is a pair of parallel concrete viaduct bridges, carrying Interstate 10 across Mobile Bay from the George Wallace Tunnel on Blakeley Island in Mobile, Alabama. It is 7.5 miles long, (12.1) kilometers.
6. Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge:
The bridge is located in St. Charles Parish, La. According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, The Bridge opened in 1937, and 9 times thereafter through 2011 to lower river stages at New Orleans. The length of the bridge roughly is around 10.1 miles, which is 16.23 kilometers. The bridge has over 250000 visitors every year, according to Recreation government.
5. Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
This is a peculiar bridge on the list, as it is not just a bridge, but a tunnel as well. The official name of the bridge is Lucius J. Kellam Jr. Bridge–Tunnel after one of the leaders who had worked for the development of the bridge. The four lane-bridge connects Delmarva Peninsula with Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads area. The total length of the bridge is 17.6 miles (28.3 kilometers). The bridge opened in 1954, and since then it has been crossed by over 100 million vehicles, according to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Commission.
4. Louisiana Highway 1 Bridge
This is a tressle toll bridge in Louisiana. It stretches over 18.01 miles (29 kilometers). Not just America, it is one of the longest bridges in the world as well. It crosses Bayou Lafourche and marsh in Louisiana. The bridge opened recently in 2009 and connects Golden Meadow, Louisiana with Port Four chon, Louisiana.
3. Atchafalaya Basin Bridge
The bridge is also known as Louisiana Airborne Memorial Bridge. This renaming was passed in 1989, act 793. The same was done to honor Airborne Forces, U.S Army paratroopers and glider borne troops. The bridge crosses Atchafalaya basin, connecting Baton Rouge and Lafayette, Louisiana. The bridge is 18.2 miles (29.29 kilometers). The bridge opened in 1973.
2. Manchac Swamp Bridge
It seems as if Louisiana has got it all. Fourth bridge on the list that is in Louisiana. The bridge opened in 1989. It stretches up to 22.81 miles (36.71 kilometers), crossing Manchac Swamp. The bridge is one of the busiest bridges, covered by 2250 drivers daily. It represents one third of the highways in Louisiana(approx 66 miles). It is estimated that the bridge cost amounted to $7 million per mile.
1. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
To top the list of longest American bridge, here is the bridge called Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The bridge has its name recorded in the Guinness book of world records, as the longest bridge over water (continuous) in the world. The length of the bridge is 23.87 miles (38.44 kilometers). It is composed of two parallel bridges, crossing Lake Pontchartrain. The southern terminus of the Bridge is in Metairie, Louisiana and the northern terminus is in Mandeville, Louisiana. The bridge opened in 1956 (southbound) and 1969 (northbound). The bridge ios so long that you cannot see any land for 8 of its 24 miles, source