The Longest Bridge In The World Is Way Longer Than You Expect
A stunning feat of infrastructure
The longest suspension bridge in the world recently opened in Turkey to much fanfare. The majestic span of the bridge spanning the Dardenelles immediately begs the question, if that bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the world, what is the longest bridge in the world, period? The answer was equal parts mundane and surprising.
The Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge
As all of the world’s longest bridges, the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is in Asia. Nine of the top ten longest bridges in the world all reside in Asia. The world’s longest bridge is located in China. At first glance, the bridge does not appear to be anything special. It is a drab grey bridge stretching over a flat smoggy expanse of coastal lowlands in Jiangsu province. It isn’t until you realize how stunningly long the bridge is that it begins to pique interest.
The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is a mouthful. It is also over 100 miles long. The bridge is a viaduct bridge along the Beijing-Shanghai Railroad. The official continuous length of the bridge is 102.4 miles (164.8 km). That is long enough to connect downtown New York City to downtown Philadelphia in one shot.
