“There is a symphony of stone and steel in a bridge, and it stretches like a poem across the water.”
Typically, bridges are made to give a way across a body of water, another road, or any other obstruction that would be hard to travel without them. Bridges, like the Golden Gate Bridge, can be immensely stunning in addition to being utilitarian.
The United States has more than 600,000 bridges of various sizes, but some are more well-known than others. Many of these bridges are amazing examples of contemporary engineering, while others are steeped in history. Here are the nation’s most well-known bridges and all the information you need to know about them.
We’ll give you a virtual tour of the most stunning bridge in each state as well as the District of Columbia so you can admire them from the comfort of your couch.
Brooklyn Bridge, New York
A must-do in New York City is to cross the stunning Brooklyn Bridge, which links Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights.
The bridge is about 1,595 feet long and took over 14 years to construct in the late 19th century. It was the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge. In 1964, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.
At sunset, take a stroll from Manhattan to Brooklyn to enjoy the best views of the city. From Brooklyn, you can get a panoramic vista of Manhattan.
It was the first fixed crossing of the East River, opening on May 24, 1883. At the time of its opening, it was also the longest suspension bridge in the world, measuring 1,595.5 feet (486.3 metres) in length with a deck that was 127 feet (38.7 metres) above mean high water.
The Brooklyn Bridge was formally renamed in 1915 from its previous names of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge or the East River Bridge.
Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado
The tallest suspension bridge in America is the Royal Gorge Bridge. If you’re terrified of heights, we advise against looking down, as walking across the Bridge is both thrilling and terrifying.
In order for visitors to appreciate the natural splendor of this geologic marvel, the Royal Gorge Bridge was constructed. You’ll experience amazing views of the surrounding natural splendor while perched over the Arkansas River in Colorado.
In fact, the Bridge was constructed specifically so that visitors might see the canyon’s grandeur.
Since this was not intended to be a road, vehicles could not cross the Bridge until May 2020. After crossing the 965-foot-high structure on foot, if you still have the courage, go rafting down the Arkansas River to learn more about it.
The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
This magnificent red Bridge, which is possibly one of the most recognizable structures in the country, is picture-perfect and frequently serves as the background for San Francisco post age stamps.
One of San Francisco and California’s most recognizable emblems around the world is the Bridge. Engineer Joseph Strauss created the first version of it in 1917. The Golden Gate Strait, which it crosses, inspired the Bridge’s name.
It spans 3.2 kilometers, or nearly 2 miles, across the confined strait that connects San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. And once you are there, don’t forget to check out these San Francisco restaurants.
When the Bridge was finished in 1937, it was regarded as a feat of engineering. The Golden Gate Bridge is the subject of a lot of fascinating facts.
The Golden Gate Bridge, widely regarded as one of the most stunning in the world, is special due to its variety of features. The Bridge is an engineering marvel of color, music, and light with its massive towers, sweeping cables, and enormous span.
The Bridge’s ability to flex is among the most intriguing.
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg
The Sunshine Skyway, which was finished in 1987, is the longest cable-stayed concrete Bridge ever constructed. Of the several dozen cable-stayed bridges that have been constructed in the U.S. since the late 1970s , it is possibly the most well-known.
Being the longest cable-stayed concrete Bridge in the world , it is well renowned.
Although the Bridge’s distinctive color—bright taxicab yellow painted on its cables—may have contributed to its fame, it also has a fascinating past.
A freighter ship slammed into one of the Bridge’s support columns in 1980, causing it to collapse and cutting off traffic between St. Petersburg and Bradenton, Florida. In 1987, the Bridge was lifted, relocated, and given “dolphin” bumpers before being reopened.
It doesn’t matter if you cross the Bridge on foot, on a bike, or in a car; either way, it’s a beautiful excursion without any concern about crumbling.
Rainbow Bridge in Niagara, New York
Since this is a physical border crossing, it tests the limits of a typical U.S. bridge. However, considering that it’s Niagara Falls, it’s important to make sure you have your passport with you. Better backdrops are rarely offered by mother nature.
This steel-arch Bridge, often known as “Rainbow Bridge,” is a well-known tourist destination. It crosses the Niagara Gorge and links the Canadian city of Niagara Falls with the American city of Niagara Falls in New York.
Unsurprisingly, the Bridge is a popular tourist destination and provides stunning views of Niagara Falls. There is a way for bikes and pedestrians to use this Bridge, which is for vehicles. For pedestrians, there is a little cost, but the photo opportunity is well worth it.
Here is some photography advice for you since it’s a worthwhile endeavor:
The Rainbow Bridge and the Horseshoe Falls are both visible from the Niagara Falls Observation Tower.
You descend to the Niagara River level on Cave of Winds to get a close-up view of Bridal Veil Falls. From a distance, you can capture pictures of Rainbow Bridge even though it is partially hidden by mist from the falls.
Of course, you can take plenty of pictures with Niagara Falls as your backdrop from any location along the pedestrian pathway.
Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys
Ever ponder what it would be like to travel through water in a vehicle? This is the closest you’ll ever come to experiencing it, though. As its name implies, this Bridge spans the ocean for 7 miles (11.2 km) to the Florida Keys.
The Seven Mile Bridge is situated at the very westernmost point of the City of Marathon. It is a well-known bridge in the Florida Keys that links the Middle Keys with the Lower Keys.
At the time it was completed, it was one of the longest bridges ever constructed. The Seven Mile Bridge is the longest of the numerous bridges that connect the Florida Keys.
In reality, it comprises two bridges that are joined together. The older Bridge was built between 1909 and 1912 as a section of the Overseas Railroad and was originally named the Knights Key-Pigeon Key-Moser Channel-Pacet Channel Bridge.
The Old Seven Mile Bridge, which was once known as the Knights Key Bridge, now appears on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been used as a jogging path, a walking path, a famous fishing pier, and of course, the main route to Pigeon Key.
Engineers at Figg & Muller were in charge of its design. The building was finished six months ahead of schedule and has won eight accolades, including the Federal Highway Administration’s Exceptional Award for Cost Savings Innovation.
London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
The London Bridge can be found everywhere besides just London. One of the most well-known bridges in the USA is also located near Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The Bridge’s name derives from the fact that it formerly crossed the Thames River in London.
One of the most stunning and perplexing bridges in the entire world, it is both.
The Bridge was demolished in 1967 after being constructed in 1831. The Bridge in Arizona is a brand-new reinforced concrete building encircled by stone from the historic London Bridge from the 1830s. The outside granite slabs were sent to Arizona by Robert P. McCulloch (who was an American entrepreneur) from London.
A persistent rumor states that McCulloch believed he was purchasing the considerably more attractive Tower Bridge. Unfortunately, the London Bridge is fairly plain in comparison to some of the earlier bridges that crossed the Thames.
McCulloch added new reinforced concrete while retaining the London Bridge’s existing stonework.
Bay Bridge in the Chesapeake Bay
Due to the high elevation needed to clear maritime boats, strong winds, and the broad perspective, the Bay Bridge, often known to locals as the Bay Bridge, frequently ranks as one of the scariest bridges.
The William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge is another name for the Bridge that was once known as The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and, as its name suggests, spans the Chesapeake Bay. It is solely accessible by car and has two lanes in each direction and one reversible lane for US 301 and U.S. 50.
The Bridge was the longest steel structure in the world that ran continuously over water when it was built in 1952, measuring 4.3 miles in length.
On the first Sunday in May, the Governor’s Bay Bridge Run and the Bay Bridge Walk allow people to enjoy the Bridge and its surroundings even though it is often off-limits to pedestrians.
Mackinac Bridge in Michigan
With a total length of 26,372 feet, the Mackinac Bridge holds the distinction of being the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Lower Peninsula are connected by this 1957-built Bridge.
This is the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere, having opened in 1957.
You may also hear it called Big Mac or Mighty Mac with affection. I-75 has four lanes along the Bridge, which is also a stop on the Great Lakes Circle Tours.
The designer of the Mackinac Bridge, David B. Steinman, was quite critical of the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge proposals and even foresaw their collapse. That prompted him to seriously overbuild the Mackinac Bridge.
He gave aerodynamics such careful consideration that the majority of the road is made of steel grating, which allows air to move through. The crucial wind speed velocity, according to the state of Michigan, is infinite. In other words, it won’t be blown over by any amount of wind.
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
One of the most amazing engineering feats in the country is the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The Bridge has been acknowledged as a nationally significant bridge from an engineering perspective as well as for its significance in the history of transportation in California and the country by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
At the time of its construction, the Bay Bridge was the longest Bridge in the world. Incorporating a number of diverse bridge styles into a single structure that carries two levels of traffic between San Francisco and Oakland, California, makes it one of the most complicated bridges in the world.
Whether the Bay Bridge is more significant due to its engineering, its place in the history of transportation, or its significance in local politics is a matter of debate. In each of these ways, the structure is significant in a large sense.
The major elements include suspension spans over the part of the harbor west of Yerba Buena Island, a tunnel on Yerba Buena Island, and cantilever truss spans east of Yerba Buena Island. It is actually a complex system of distinct and independent structures.
The Hoover Dam Bypass in Boulder City, Nevada
A century of risky engineering and building work in this 1,500-foot section of the Colorado River is represented by the ancient Hoover Dam and its stunning new partner, the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, on the coast of Lake Mead.
The location is a must-see example of American engineering on a huge scale because it is close to popular destinations in Nevada and Arizona.
The Bridge, officially known as the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, is notable for having North America’s longest concrete arch.
The Bridge links Interstate 11 and U.S. Route 93 over the Colorado River and is situated within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Las Vegas.
It was the main part of the Hoover Dam Bypass project, which was completed in 2010 and redirected U.S. 93 from its old course along the top of Hoover Dam and eliminated multiple hairpin corners and blind curves.
Ending Notes
With the mention of these amazing and bizarre bridges, do give them a visit if you are around. I am sure the experience of visiting them will make your day super fun and photographic.
