Famous Bridges: The World's Most Traveled Crossings

The George Washington Bridge, connecting Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Manhattan, New York City, is the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge. In 2019, the bridge carried a traffic volume of over 104 million vehicles, and in 2015, an astonishing 115.9 million vehicles crossed the bridge. The bridge is also the world's only suspension bridge with 14 vehicular lanes.

Busiest bridge in the world

The George Washington Bridge, connecting Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Upper Manhattan, New York City, is the busiest bridge in the world. The bridge is named after George Washington, the first president of the United States.

The double-decked suspension bridge spans the Hudson River and is believed to carry over 103 million vehicles annually, which amounts to over 280,000 vehicles per day. The bridge has 14 vehicular lanes, eight on the upper level and six on the lower level, and is the only suspension bridge with this many lanes.

The George Washington Bridge was first opened to traffic in 1931 and was the longest suspension bridge until 1937 when the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco opened. The bridge was designed by Swiss-American engineer Othmar H. Ammann and was expanded in 1946 and 1962 to accommodate growing traffic.

The bridge is a vital transportation link between New York and New Jersey, providing connectivity between the two states and offering majestic views of the Hudson River and the surrounding areas.

Longest suspension bridge in the world

The 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Türkiye currently holds the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world. It has a span of 2,023 metres (6,637 ft) and connects Gelibolu and Lapseki across the Dardanelles. The bridge was completed in March 2022, ahead of schedule, and cost around 2.5 billion euros. It is not only the longest but also the tallest bridge in Türkiye, with its towers reaching a height of 334 metres (1,096 feet).

Prior to the Çanakkale Bridge, the record for the longest suspension bridge was held by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan. Completed in 1998, the bridge has a central span of 1,991 metres (6,532 feet) and connects Iwaya on Awaji Island and Kobe on Honshu island. The construction of the bridge involved over 100 contractors and remarkably, withstood the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 due to its anti-seismic design.

The third longest suspension bridge in the world is the Yangsigang Yangtze River Bridge in Wuhan, China. Opened to traffic in October 2019, the bridge spans 1,700 metres (5,577 feet) across the Yangtze River. It boasts the world's longest double-deck bridge span, accommodating various forms of transportation on its two levels. The upper deck features six lanes for motorized vehicles, while the lower deck incorporates four additional lanes, as well as pedestrian pathways and lanes for non-motorized transportation.

Other notable mentions include the Nansha Bridge in Guangdong, China, which is a duo of suspension bridges spanning the Pearl River, and the Xihoumen Bridge, which is part of an extensive bridging project in the Zhoushan Archipelago.

Widest bridge in the world

The world's widest bridge is the Port Mann Bridge in British Columbia, Canada. The bridge is 65 metres (213 ft) wide and features 10 lanes of traffic, with space reserved for a light rail line. It carries around 127,000 trips per day and replaced the original Port Mann Bridge, which was inaugurated in 1964. The new bridge was opened to eastbound traffic in 2012 and held the title of the world's widest long-span bridge until 2013, when it was overtaken by the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in California, USA.

Prior to the Port Mann Bridge, the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia was the record holder for the world's widest bridge. Completed in 1932, the bridge is 49 metres (160 ft) wide and features two railroad tracks, a bicycle path, and a pedestrian walkway. The Sydney Harbour Bridge connects the city's bustling business district with a residential area.

Longest bridge in the world

The longest bridge in the world is the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge in China. This impressive structure stretches an incredible 164.8 kilometres (or 102.4 miles) and is part of the Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway. It took four years, 10,000 workers, and $8.5 million to construct this engineering marvel. The bridge was designed to withstand seismic activity and extreme weather conditions and can even withstand a collision from a 300,000-ton naval vessel.

The majority of the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge follows the Yangtze River, at a distance varying between 5 and 50 miles from the river. A section of the bridge crosses Yangcheng Lake in Suzhou, supported by 2,000 pillars. The bridge averages about 100 feet off the ground.

China is home to 11 of the world's 15 longest bridges, showcasing the country's impressive infrastructure development. The second-longest bridge in the world is also located in Asia, with the Changhua-Kaohsiung Viaduct in Taiwan stretching 97.8 miles.

Oldest bridge in the world

The oldest bridge in the world that is still in use is the Caravan Bridge, also known as the Bridge over River Meles, in Izmir, Turkey. Dating back to around 850 BCE, this slab-stone single-arch bridge is over 2,800 years old and is believed to have been crossed by the likes of Homer and Saint Paul.

The Arkadiko Bridge, or Kazarma Bridge, in Argolis, Greece, is also considered one of the oldest bridges in the world. This simple arch bridge, made of limestone boulders, stones, and tiles, is believed to have been constructed by the Ancient Greeks between 1300 and 1190 BCE, making it around 3,300 years old. The bridge is still used by vehicles today, making it the oldest still-in-use bridge in the world.

The oldest bridge in Venice, Italy, is the 16th-century Rialto Bridge, or Ponte di Rialto. Designed by Antonio da Ponte and his nephew in 1591, the bridge connects the areas of San Marco and San Polo and is a popular tourist attraction.

The Pons Fabricius, or Ponte dei Quattro Capi, in Rome, Italy, is the oldest existing Roman bridge in its original state. Built in 62 BCE, the bridge spans half of the Tiber River and has remained completely intact and in continuous use.

The Alcántara Bridge in Alcántara, Spain, is another ancient Imperial Roman bridge that still stands today. Built between 104 and 106 CE, the stone arch bridge has had to be repaired several times throughout its history due to damage from wars.

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