The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, also known as the Pearl Bridge, is the longest suspension bridge at 1,991 meters (6,532 feet) in the world. It spans the Akashi Strait in Japan connecting Kobe on the mainland and Iwaya on Awayi Island. Construction began in 1988. Ten years and 2 million workers later, the bridge was opened in 1998. It was a monumental engineering feat that required enough steel cable to encircle the earth seven times.
This suspension bridge applies some of the best architectural design and technology across the three spans. It has been designed to withstand earthquakes and harsh sea conditions. The Kobe earthquake in January 17, 1995 is an example of the bridge’s strength.
Its towers also enter into a few record books. They are 928 feet high, making it the third tallest in the world, after the Villau Viaduct and the Sutong Bridge in China. Being the tallest doesn’t necessarily make it the highest. Highest is measured by distance between the surface of the bridge and the ground/water surface below.
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Thanks pbs.org for interesting info on this bridge!
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