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 most common method of comparing the sizes of suspension bridges, the length of main span often correlates with the height of the towers and the engineering complexity involved in designing and constructing the bridge.
Suspension bridges have the longest spans of any type of bridge. Cable-stayed bridges, the next longest design, are practical for spans up to around one kilometer. Thus, the 15 longest bridges on this list all are suspended-deck suspension bridges and currently are the 15 longest of all types of vehicular bridge.
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This list includes only completed suspension bridges that carry automobiles or trains. It does not include cable-stayed bridges, footbridges or pipeline bridges.
| Rank | Name | Location | Main span metres |
Main span feet |
Year opened | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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[1] | Akashi Kaikyō Bridge (The longest from 1998 to the present) |
1,991 | 6,529 | 1998 | |
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[2] * | Xihoumen Bridge | 1,650 | 5,414 | 2009 | |
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[3] | Great Belt Bridge (also known as the Storebælt Bridge; Danish: Storebæltsbroen) | 1,624 | 5,328 | 1998 | |
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[4] | Runyang Bridge | 1,490 | 4,888 | 2005 | |
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[5] | Humber Bridge (The longest from 1981 until 1998) |
1,410 | 4,626 | 1981 | |
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[6] * | Jiangyin Suspension Bridge | 1,385 | 4,543 | 1999 | |
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[7] | Tsing Ma Bridge (the longest carrying road and rail traffic) |
1,377 | 4,518 | 1997 | |
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[8] | Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (The longest from 1964 until 1981) |
1,298 | 4,260 | 1964 | |
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[9] | Golden Gate Bridge (The longest from 1937 until 1964) |
1,280 | 4,200 | 1937 | |
| Linked photo | [10] * | Yangluo Bridge | 1,280 | 4,200 | 2007 | |
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[11] | Högakustenbron (High Coast Bridge) | 1,210 | 3,970 | 1997 | |
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[12] | Mackinac Bridge | 1,158 | 3,800 | 1957 | |
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[13] | Huangpu Bridge | 1,108 | 3,635 | 2008 | |
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[14] | Minami Bisan-Seto Bridge (Great Seto Bridge) | 1,100 | 3,609 | 1989 | |
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[15] * | Fatih Sultan Mehmet (Second Bosporus Bridge) | 1,090 | 3,576 | 1988 | |
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[16] | Balinghe Bridge | near Guanling, China | 1,088 | 3,570 | 2009 |
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[17] * | Boğaziçi (First Bosporus Bridge) | 1,074 | 3,524 | 1973 | |
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[18] | George Washington Bridge (The longest from 1931 until 1937) |
1,067 | 3,500 | 1931 | |
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[19] | Third Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge | 1,030 | 3,379 | 1999 | |
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[20] | Second Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge | 1,020 | 3,346 | 1999 | |
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[21] * | Ponte 25 de Abril (Tagus Bridge) | 1,013 | 3,323 | 1966 | |
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[22] | Forth Road Bridge | 1,006 | 3,300 | 1964 | |
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[23] | Kita Bisan-Seto Bridge (Great Seto Bridge) | 990 | 3,248 | 1988 | |
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[24] | Severn Bridge | 988 | 3,240 | 1966 | |
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[25] * | Yichang Bridge | 960 | 3,150 | 2001 | |
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[26] | Shimotsui-Seto Bridge (Great Seto Bridge) | 940 | 3,084 | 1988 | |
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[27] * | Xiling Bridge | 900 | 2,952 | 1996 | |
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[28] * | Si Du River Bridge (The highest bridge in the world from 2009 to present) | 900 | 2,953 | 2009 | |
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[29] * | Humen Pearl River Bridge | 888 | 2,913 | 1997 | |
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[30] | Ohnaruto Bridge | 876 | 2,874 | 1985 | |
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[31] | Tacoma Narrows Bridge (westbound) | 853 | 2,800 | 1950 | |
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[32] | Tacoma Narrows Bridge (eastbound) | 853 | 2,800 | 2007 | |
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[33] * | Askøy Bridge | 850 | 2,789 | 1992 | |
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[34] | Innoshima Bridge | 770 | 2,526 | 1983 | |
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[35] * | Akinada Bridge | 750 | 2,461 | 2000 | |
| [36] * | Semipalatinsk Bridge | 750 | 2,461 | 2000 | ||
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[37] | Al Zampa Memorial Bridge (New Carquinez Bridge) | 728 | 2,388 | 2003 | |
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[38] * | Hakucho Bridge | 720 | 2,362 | 1998 | |
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[39] * | Angostura Bridge | 712 | 2,336 | 1967 | |
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[40] * | Kanmonkyo Bridge | 712 | 2,336 | 1973 | |
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[41] | San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge (Yerba Buena Island to anchorage) | 704 | 2,310 | 1936 | |
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[42] | San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge (San Francisco to anchorage) | 704 | 2,310 | 1936 | |
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[43] | Bronx-Whitestone Bridge | 701 | 2,300 | 1939 | |
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[44] | Stord Bridge | 677 | 2,221 | 2001 | |
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[45] * | Pierre Laporte Bridge | 668 | 2,190 | 1970 | |
| [46] | Delaware Memorial Bridge I (eastbound) | 655 | 2,150 | 1951 | ||
| [47] | Delaware Memorial Bridge II (westbound) | 655 | 2,150 | 1968 | ||
| [48] * | Haicang Bridge | 648 | 2,126 | 1999 | ||
| Linked photo | [49] * | Beipanjiang River Bridge | 636 | 2,086 | 2009 | |
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[50] * | Gjemnessund Bridge | 623 | 2,044 | 1992 | |
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[51] | Walt Whitman Bridge | 610 | 2,000 | 1957 | |
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[52] * | Tancarville Bridge | 608 | 1,995 | 1959 | |
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[53] * | New Little Belt Bridge | 600 | 1,969 | 1970 | |
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[54] | First Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge | 600 | 1,969 | 1999 | |
| Linked photo | [55] * | E'gongyan Bridge | 600 | 1,969 | 2000 | |
| [56] * | Osterøy Bridge | 595 | 1,952 | 1997 | ||
| Linked photo | [57] * | Second Wanxian Bridge | 580 | 1,903 | 2004 | |
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[58] | Bømla Bridge | 577 | 1,893 | 2001 | |
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[59] * | Rainbow Bridge | 570 | 1,870 | 1993 | |
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[60] | Ambassador Bridge (The longest from 1929 until 1931) | 564 | 1,850 | 1929 | |
| [61] | Hakata-Ohshima Bridge | 560 | 1,837 | 1988 | ||
| Linked photo | [62] * | Zhongxian Yangtze River Bridge | 560 | 1,837 | 2001 | |
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[63] | Throgs Neck Bridge | 549 | 1,800 | 1961 | |
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[64] | Benjamin Franklin Bridge (The longest from 1926 until 1929) | 533 | 1,750 | 1926 | |
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[65] * | Skjomen Bridge | 525 | 1,722 | 1972 | |
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[66] * | Kvalsund Bridge | 525 | 1,722 | 1977 | |
| Linked photo | [67] * | Matadi Bridge | 520 | 1,706 | 1983 | |
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[68] * | Emmerich Rhine Bridge | 500 | 1,640 | 1965 | |
| Linked photo | [69] * | Dazi Bridge | 500 | 1,640 | 1984 | |
| [70] * | Gwangan Bridge | 500 | 1,640 | 2002 | ||
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[71] | Bear Mountain Bridge (The longest from 1924 until 1926) | 497 | 1,632 | 1924 | |
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[72] | Williamsburg Bridge (The longest from 1903 until 1924) | 488 | 1,600 | 1903 | |
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[73] | W. Preston Lane Memorial Bridge I | 488 | 1,600 | 1952 | |
| [74] * | Newport Bridge (Sen. Claiborne Pell Bridge) | 488 | 1,600 | 1969 | ||
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[75] | W. Preston Lane Memorial Bridge II | 488 | 1,600 | 1973 | |
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[76] | Brooklyn Bridge (The longest from 1883 until 1903) | 486 | 1,596 | 1883 | |
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[77] * | Lions' Gate Bridge | 473 | 1,550 | 1938 | |
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[78] * | Sotra Bridge | 468 | 1,535 | 1971 | |
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[79] * | Hirado Bridge | 460 | 1,509 | 1977 | |
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[80] * | Vincent Thomas Bridge | 457 | 1,499 | 1963 | |
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[81] | Mid-Hudson Bridge | 456 | 1,495 | 1930 | |
| Linked photo | [82] * | Shantou Bay Bridge | 452 | 1,483 | 1996 | |
| Linked photo | [83] * | Fengdu Bridge | 450 | 1,476 | 1996 | |
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[84] | Manhattan Bridge | 448 | 1,470 | 1909 | |
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[85] * | Lysefjord Bridge | 446 | 1,463 | 1997 | |
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[86] | Angus L. Macdonald Bridge | 441 | 1,447 | 1955 | |
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[87] | A. Murray MacKay Bridge | 427 | 1,400 | 1970 | |
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[88] | Robert F. Kennedy Bridge | 421 | 1,380 | 1936 | |
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[89] * | Älvsborg Bridge | 417 | 1,368 | 1966 | |
| Linked photo | [90] * | Namhae Bridge | 404 | 1,325 | 1973 | |
| [91] * | Aquitaine Bridge | 394 | 1,293 | 1967 | ||
| [92] * | Amu Daria River Bridge | 390 | 1,280 | 1964 | ||
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[93] * | Cologne Rodenkirchen Bridge | 378 | 1,240 | 1954 | |
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[94] | St. Johns Bridge | 368 | 1,207 | 1931 | |
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[95] * | Wakato Narrows Bridge | 367 | 1,204 | 1962 | |
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[96] * | Mount Hope Bridge | 366 | 1,200 | 1929 | |
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[97] | Ogdensburg Prescott International Bridge (Seaway Skyway) | 351 | 1,151 | 1960 | |
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[98] * | Hercilio Luz Bridge | 340 | 1,115 | 1926 | |
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[99] | Bidwell Bar Bridge | 338 | 1,108 | 1965 | |
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[100] * | Varodd Bridge | 337 | 1,106 | 1956 | |
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[101] | Tamar Bridge | 335 | 1,100 | 1961 | |
| [102] * | Feda Fjord Bridge | 335 | 1,100 | 2006 | ||
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[103] * | Deer Isle Bridge | 329 | 1,088 | 1939 | |
| Linked photo | [104] * | Otto Beit Bridge | 328 | 1,085 | 1939 | |
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[105] * | Rombak Bridge | 325 | 1,066 | 1964 | |
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[106] * | Nærøysund Bridge | 325 | 1,066 | 1981 | |
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[107] * | Simon Kenton Bridge | 323 | 1,060 | 1932 | |
| [108] * | Île d'Orléans Bridge | 323 | 1,059 | 1936 | ||
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[109] * | John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge (The longest from 1867 until 1883) | 322 | 1,057 | 1867 | |
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[110] * | Dent Bridge | 320 | 1,050 | 1971 | |
| [111] * | Cologne Mulheim Bridge | 315 | 1,033 | 1951 | ||
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[112] * | Wheeling Suspension Bridge (The longest from 1849 until 1867) | 308 | 1,010 | 1849 | |
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[113] * | Konohana Bridge | 300 | 984 | 1987 | |
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[114] * | Chavanon Viaduct | 300 | 984 | 2000 | |
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[115] | Yeongjong Grand Bridge (the longest self-anchored suspension bridge) | 300 | 984 | 2000 | |
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[116] * | Elizabeth Bridge | 290 | 951 | 1964 | |
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[117] * | Tjeldsund Bridge | 290 | 951 | 1967 | |
| Linked photo | [118] * | Grand-Mère Bridge | 289 | 948 | 1929 | |
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[119] * | Puente Colgante de Occidente (West Suspension Bridge) | 287 | 940 | 1894 |
Most of the large suspension bridges built in recent years have been in the People's Republic of China. As the following list shows, most of the bridges under construction are also in China.
| Name | Location | Main span |
Scheduled opening date |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanjing Fourth Yangtze Bridge | China | 1,418 m (4,652 ft) | 2010 | [120] |
| Taizhou Bridge | near Taizhou, China | 1,080 m (3,543 ft) | 2010 | Two 1,080 m (3,543 ft) spans connecting three towers.[121] |
| Ma'anshan Bridge | China | 1,000 m (3,281 ft) | 2010 | Two 1,000 m (3,281 ft) main spans.[122] |
| Aizhai Bridge | China | 1,146 m (3,760 ft) | 2012 | [123] |
| Eastern section of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge | San Francisco – Oakland, California, USA | 385 m (1,263 ft) | 2013 | This will be the largest self-anchored suspension bridge ever constructed. With one tower, it will have two asymmetric spans of 180 and 385 meters. |
| Hardanger Bridge | Hardangerfjorden, Norway | 1,310 m (4,300 ft) | 2013 | Construction start was in January 2009, and is estimated to be completed in 2013.[124] |
| Name | Location | Main span |
Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunda Strait Bridge | Java to Sumatra, Indonesia | about 3,000 m (9,800 ft) | Preliminary work | This project has been approved by the Indonesian government. If completed, it will not only be the world's longest suspension bridge (26 km), but will also have a main span of about 3,000 m (9,800 ft)—roughly fifty percent longer than the current record.[125] |
| Unnamed | Qiongzhou Strait, China | about 3,000 m (9,800 ft) | Preliminary work | A suspension bridge is being considered to cross the 22.5 kilometer wide Qiongzhou Strait.[126] One design consists of four bridges strung together with four main spans of 2,000 meters, two main-spans of 1,800 meters, five anchorages and 10 towers.[127] If completed this bridge will assume six of the top seven longest spans. |
| Unnamed | Aizhai Gorge in Hunan province, China | 1,176 m (3,858 ft) | Planned | [128] |
| İzmit Bay Bridge | Marmara Sea, Turkey | 1,688 m (5,538 ft) | Planned | Bidding is expected to start in June 2009 [129]. The original design called for a long span, but recent images depict several shorter spans. [130] |
| Chacao Channel bridge | Chiloé to mainland Chile | 1,100 m (3,600 ft) | On hold | This unusual design has two main spans of 1,055 meters and 1,100 meters without an anchorage between them. Construction was supposed to begin in 2007 and completed in 2012, but because of cost overruns, the project is now on hold. |
| Strait of Messina Bridge | Sicily to mainland Italy | 3,300 m (10,800 ft) | Planned | The project was canceled on 11 October 2006 by the Romano Prodi-led government amid controversy concerning the bridge's cost and feared Mafia influence.[131] The new government from 2008 led by Silvio Berlusconi wants to pick up the project again. Preliminary works will begin in December 2009. The main construction is expected to begin before the end of 2010 and completed in 2016. |
| Gibraltar Bridge | Spain to Morocco | ? | Proposed | Some designs have suspension spans of several kilometers. The suspension cables of a very long bridge might be suspended from the ends of cable-stayed struts extending diagonally from huge pylons. However, as of 2008, the feasibility of a tunnel is being considered instead. |
| Hålogaland Bridge | Narvik, Norway | 1,345 m (4,413 ft) | Plans under consideration | The bridge will reduce the distance between Narvik and Bjerkvik by 17 km. The government of Norway has declared that it wants to build it, with construction to start possibly in 2011, and an opening date in 2015.[132] See no:Hålogalandsbrua. |
| Bridge | Location | length m (ft) |
Year became longest span |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maya Bridge at Yaxchilan | Mexico | 62 m (203 ft) | 600 | Hemp-rope simple suspension footbridge. No longer standing. |
| Luding Bridge | China | 103 m (338 ft) | 1705 | Chain simple suspension footbridge. |
| Schuylkill River Bridge | USA | 124 m (407 ft) | 1816 | Footbridge. The first wire bridge ever built. [133] No longer standing. |
| Union Bridge | UK | 137 m (449 ft) | 1820 | The oldest in the world still in use today. |
| Menai Suspension Bridge | UK | 176 m (577 ft) | 1826 | |
| Zähringen Bridge | Switzerland | 271 m (889 ft) | 1834 | The bridge was removed in the 1920s. |
| Wheeling Suspension Bridge | USA | 308 m (1,010 ft) | 1849 | The longest deck span from 1849 until 1866. |
| Lewiston-Queenston Bridge | USA and Canada | 317 m (1,040 ft) | 1851 | The longest cable span from 1851 until it was destroyed by wind in 1864. However, the road deck span was only 258 m. |
| John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge | USA | 322 m (1,056 ft) | 1866 | |
| Niagara Clifton Bridge | USA and Canada | 384 m (1,260 ft) | 1869 | Replaced in 1899. |
| Brooklyn Bridge | USA | 486 m (1,594 ft) | 1883 | |
| Williamsburg Bridge | USA | 488 m (1,601 ft) | 1903 | It was the longest suspension span but not the longest span of all bridges. The Forth Railway Bridge with two spans of 521 m was longer. |
| Bear Mountain Bridge | USA | 497 m (1,631 ft) | 1924 | It was the longest suspension span but not the longest span of all bridges. The Quebec Bridge with a span of 549 m was longer. The first suspension bridge to have a concrete deck. The construction methods pioneered in building it would make possible several much larger projects to follow. |
| Benjamin Franklin Bridge | USA | 533 m (1,749 ft) | 1926 | It was the longest suspension span but not the longest span of all bridges. |
| Ambassador Bridge | USA and Canada | 564 m (1,850 ft) | 1929 | Since this bridge was built, the record for longest bridge span has only been held by suspension bridges. |
| George Washington Bridge | USA | 1,067 m (3,501 ft) | 1931 | The first span longer than a kilometer. |
| Golden Gate Bridge | USA | 1,280 m (4,200 ft) | 1937 | |
| Verrazano-Narrows Bridge | USA | 1,298 m (4,259 ft) | 1964 | |
| Humber Bridge | UK | 1,410 m (4,630 ft) | 1981 | |
| Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge | Japan | 1,991 m (6,532 ft) | 1998 | The longest span since 1998. |
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