Widescreen: Record-Breaking Bridges

RADHE KRISHNA 18-06-2012 Vadivelu Radhe Krishna 06-04-2012 Widescreen: Record-Breaking Bridges Widescreen: Record-Breaking Bridges At 1,102 feet up and 3,858 feet across, the ambitious suspension bridge in China's Hunan province has become the highest and longest in the world. The Anzhaite Long-span Suspension Bridge in Jishou was officially opened to motorists Tuesday, Daily Mail reported. The bridge, which is lit up at night with 1,888 lights, is the fourth suspension bridge to cross a valley so wide it seems to be connecting two mountain ranges, the Mail said. The bridge is a key part of the Jishou-Chadong Expressway, a 64-km road which has 18 different tunnels that cover about half of its length. Once on the bridge cars and lorries can motor along a two-way, four-lane motorway at about 50 mph. Pedestrians can also walk along it on a special walkway under the road. Here’s a look at some record-breaking bridges from around the world. 1. Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay Bridge The world's longest cross-sea bridge, spanning 36.48 kilometers across the mouth of the Jiaozhou Bay in China's eastern Shandong province, opened to traffic four years after construction started. Here's a peek into some of the world's longest bridges. 2. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Located in Louisiana, United States, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, consists of two parallel bridges that run parallel to each other. The bridges are supported by 9,500 concrete pilings and spans over 38.35 kilometres. The southern terminus of the Causeway is in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The northern terminus is at Mandeville, Louisiana. 3. Donghai Bridge Completed on December 10, 2005, the Donghai Bridge has a total length of 32.5 kilometres and connects Shanghai to the Yangshan port in China. The 'Donghai Bridge' is popularly known as 'The stone'. 4. Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a four lane bridge that connects the Delmarva Peninsula's Eastern Shore of Virginia with Virginia Beach and the metropolitan area of Hampton Roads, Virginia. The bridge has a total length of 37 kilometres. 5. Vasco da Gama Bridge The Vasco da Gama Bridge is a cable bridge with a total length of 17.2 kilometres. The bridge was opened to traffic on 29 March, 1998. The bridge spans across the Tagus River near Lisbon, Portugal. 6. Penang Bridge The Penang Bridge opened to traffic on September 14, 1985 and connects Gelugor in Penang island and Seberang Prai to mainland Malaysia. The total length of the bridge is 13.5 kilometres. 7. Rio-Niteroi Bridge The Rio-Niteroi Bridge is a box girder bridge that connects the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi. The bridge opened on March 4, 1974 and the total length of the bridge is 13 kilometres. 8. Confederation Bridge The 12.9 kilometre long bridge opened on 31 May 1997, connecting the Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick, Canada. The Confederation bridge is a two-lane highway toll bridge. 9.San Mateo-Hayward Bridge Commonly known as the San Mateo Bridge, the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge connects San Francisco Peninsula with the East Bay. The total length of the bridge is 11.265408 kilometres. 10. Seven Mile Bridge The Seven Mile Bridge is is located between the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Strait. Finished in 1982 at a cost of $45 million, the Seven Mile Bridge connects city of Marathon in the Middle Keys of Florida to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys of Florida. 11. Aizhai is also the fourth suspension bridge in China to cross a valley so wide it seems to be connecting two mountain ranges, and of the world's 400 or so highest bridges, none has a main span as long as Aizhai. AFP PHOTO 12.The Aizhai bridge, the world’s highest tunnel to tunnel bridge, at 336 meter-high (1,102 feet) and spanning 1,176 meters (3,858 feet), officially opens to traffic in Jishou, central China's Hunan province on March 31, 2012.AFP PHOTO