World's Longest Bridge Spans (by Type)

Intro

People who are not engineers might think of the longest bridge in the world as simply having the longest total length. While bridges with lengths exceeding 100 km are indeed remarkable achievements, engineers are likely curious about bridges with the longest span. Since bridges come in various types, in this content, we will explore the longest-span bridges among common 3 types such as arch bridge, cable-stayed bridge, and suspension bridge. We will refer to the Guinness World Records to find out which bridge holds the record for the longest span. Bridges not found in the Guinness World Records have been excluded.

1. Arch Bridge : PINGNAN THIRD BRIDGE 575m (1,886 ft)

The longest arch bridge is the Pingnan Third Bridge, a road crossing which spans the Xunjiang river near Pingnan in Guangxi, China. The Pingnan Third Bridge boasts a primary span measuring 575 meters (1,886 feet) and an entire length of 1,035 meters (3,395 feet).

It is classified as a through-arch bridge, characterized by a deck that hangs beneath the supporting arch through cables. If you have an interest in various types of arch bridges, you can explore them through this link: How do we distinguish the arch bridge according to the deck position?

2. Cable-Stayed Bridge : RUSSKY BRIDGE 1,104m (3,622.04 ft)

Russky Bridge

The 3.1-km-long Russky Bridge (1.93-miles) has a cable-stayed span of 1,104 m (3,622.04 ft). The bridge connects Vladivostok to Russky Island in Russia and was officially inaugurated on 2 July 2012.

3. Suspension Bridge : 1915 Çanakkale Bridge 2,023m (6,637 ft)

1915 Çanakkale Bridge

The longest cable suspension bridge is 2023 metres (6,637 ft) and was achieved by the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, which was built in Çanakkale, Turkey, on 18 March 2022. The bridge is designed to allow easier travel from Turkey's European and Asian provinces. 

The reason the span is precisely 2023 meters is that the Turkish government intended to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic in 2023.

With a span length of 2023 meters, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge now holds the record for the world's longest suspension bridge span and the world's longest bridge span.

Reference

Guinnessworldrecords.com : Longest span arch bridge

Guinnessworldrecords.com : Longest cable-stayed bridge span

Guinnessworldrecords.com : Longest suspension bridge span

Guinnessworldrecords.com : Longest bridge span

About the MOTIVATOR

Jegeon Ryu

Project Manager & Content Creator MOTIVE

Hello, I am Jegeon Ryu, a Project Manager responsible for developing MOTIVE for engineers dedicated to creating a safer and better world. During my two years of military service, I learned that creating a safer world is achievable through the sharing of technology and motivating each other. My goal is to contribute to the happiness of the world by creating a global platform that facilitates mutual knowledge sharing and growth.

 

Profile: Jegeon Ryu

※ If you click on the keywords below "Topics," you can view related contents.