The world's longest suspension bridges are listed according to the length of their main span (i.e., the length of suspended roadway between the bridge's towers). The length of the main span is the most common method of comparing the sizes of suspension bridges, often correlating with the height of the towers and the engineering complexity involved in designing and constructing the bridge.[4] If one bridge has a longer span than another, it does not necessarily mean that the bridge is longer from shore to shore (or from abutment to abutment).
Suspension bridges have the longest spans of any type of bridge. Cable-stayed bridges, the next longest design, are practical for spans up to just over 1 kilometre. Therefore, as of 2021[update], the 31 longest bridges on this list are the 31 longest spans of all types of vehicular bridges (other than floating pontoon bridges).
Currently, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge in Turkey holds the record since opening to traffic in March 2022, with a span of 2,023 metres (6,637 ft).[1][3] Since 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan previously held the record with a span of 1,991 metres (6,532 ft).
- ^ a b "Why Turkey Built the World's Longest Suspension Bridge". The B1M. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Tim Gibson (11 May 2022). "Turkey Has Built the World's Longest Suspension Bridge". The B1M.
- ^ a b "Groundbreaking ceremony for bridge over Dardanelles to take place on March 18". Hürriyet Daily News. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Duan, Lian (2014). "Longest Bridges and Bridge Spans". In Chen, Wai-Fah; Duan, Lian (eds.). Handbook of International Bridge Engineering. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. p. 1307. ISBN 978-1-4398-1029-3. Retrieved 3 February 2015 – via google books.
The total length often reflects a project size, while the span length commonly correlates with the engineering complexity involved in designing and constructing of the bridge.