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List of bridges in the United States facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The United States is home to many amazing bridges, from huge suspension bridges that stretch across wide rivers to strong arch bridges that connect different lands. These bridges help people travel, move goods, and connect communities all across the country.

Awesome Bridges in the USA

This section highlights some of the biggest and most famous bridges in the United States. These bridges are engineering marvels, meaning they are incredible examples of how people can design and build huge structures.

Giants of the Water: Suspension Bridges

Suspension bridges are known for their long main spans, which hang from strong cables supported by tall towers. They often look very graceful and are built to cross wide areas like bays or rivers.

  • Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1950) (East bridge) and Tacoma Narrows Bridge (West bridge)
    • Location: Tacoma, crossing Puget Sound
    • Opened: 1950 (East) and 2007 (West)
    • Main Span: 853 meters (2,799 feet) for both
    • What it carries: Washington State Route 16
    • Fun Fact: The first Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed in 1940 due to strong winds, which taught engineers a lot about bridge design.
  • Brooklyn Bridge
    • Location: New York City, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn
    • Opened: 1883
    • Main Span: 486 meters (1,594 feet)
    • What it carries: Road traffic
    • Fun Fact: One of the oldest and most famous bridges in the US, known for its beautiful stone towers.
  • Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge
    • Location: Maysville to Aberdeen, over the Ohio River
    • Opened: 1932
    • Main Span: 323 meters (1,060 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 62, U.S. Route 68, Ohio State Route 41

Strong and Modern: Cable-Stayed Bridges

Cable-stayed bridges use cables directly connected from the deck to tall towers, creating a fan-like or parallel pattern. They are often very sleek and modern in design.

  • Sam Houston Ship Channel Bridge Replacement (under construction)
  • Long Beach International Gateway
  • William H. Harsha Bridge
    • Location: Maysville to Aberdeen, over the Ohio River
    • Opened: 2000
    • Main Span: 320 meters (1,050 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 62 and U.S. Route 68

Mighty Arches: Arch Bridges

Arch bridges are strong and stable, using the curve of an arch to carry weight. They can be very beautiful and are often found in scenic locations.

  • New River Gorge Bridge
    • Location: Fayetteville, over the New River
    • Opened: 1977
    • Main Span: 518 meters (1,699 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 19
    • Fun Fact: This is the longest single-span arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere!
  • Bayonne Bridge
    • Location: New York City to Bayonne, over the Kill Van Kull
    • Opened: 1931
    • Main Span: 510 meters (1,673 feet)
    • What it carries: New York State Route 440 and New Jersey Route 440
    • Fun Fact: It was the longest arch bridge in the world when it was built.
  • Glen Canyon Dam Bridge
  • Lewiston–Queenston Bridge
    • Location: Lewiston to Queenston, Canada, over the Niagara River
    • Opened: 1962
    • Main Span: 305 meters (1,001 feet)
    • What it carries: Interstate 190
  • Hell Gate Bridge
    • Location: New York City, connecting The Bronx and Queens
    • Opened: 1917
    • Main Span: 303 meters (994 feet)
    • What it carries: Amtrak and freight trains
    • Fun Fact: This bridge is a very strong railway bridge.
  • Perrine Bridge
    • Location: Twin Falls, over the Snake River
    • Opened: 1974
    • Main Span: 303 meters (994 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 93
    • Fun Fact: It's a popular spot for base jumping!

Other Impressive Bridges: Cantilever and Truss Bridges

Cantilever bridges use structures that extend outwards from supports, while truss bridges use a framework of connected triangles to create a strong structure.

  • Commodore Barry Bridge
    • Location: Chester to Bridgeport, over the Delaware River
    • Opened: 1974
    • Main Span: 501 meters (1,644 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 322 and County Route 536
  • Crescent City Connection
    • Location: New Orleans, over the Mississippi River
    • Opened: 1958 (first bridge), 1988 (second bridge)
    • Main Span: 480 meters (1,575 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 90 Business and Interstate 910
    • Fun Fact: These are twin bridges that help traffic flow in and out of New Orleans.
  • Gramercy Bridge
  • Astoria–Megler Bridge
    • Location: Astoria to Megler, over the Columbia River
    • Opened: 1966
    • Main Span: 376 meters (1,234 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 101
    • Fun Fact: This is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.
  • Newburgh–Beacon Bridge
    • Location: Newburgh to Beacon, over the Hudson River
    • Opened: 1963 (first bridge), 1980 (second bridge)
    • Main Span: 305 meters (1,001 feet)
    • What it carries: Interstate 84 and New York State Route 52
  • Hart Bridge
    • Location: Jacksonville, over the St. Johns River
    • Opened: 1967
    • Main Span: 332 meters (1,089 feet)
    • What it carries: U.S. Route 1 Alternate and Florida State Road 228

Bridges from the Past

Some bridges that were once very important are no longer standing. They might have been replaced by newer, stronger bridges, or sometimes, sadly, they collapsed.

  • Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)
    • Location: Tacoma, over Puget Sound
    • Opened: 1940
    • Main Span: 853 meters (2,799 feet)
    • What happened: This bridge famously collapsed in 1940 due to strong winds, which caused it to twist and sway. It was a big lesson for bridge engineers!
  • First Niagara Clifton Bridge
    • Location: Niagara Falls, New York to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, over the Niagara River
    • Opened: 1869
    • Main Span: 386 meters (1,266 feet)
    • What happened: This bridge was destroyed by a severe storm in 1889.
  • Tappan Zee Bridge (1955–2017)
    • Location: Tarrytown to South Nyack, over the Hudson River
    • Opened: 1955
    • Main Span: 369 meters (1,211 feet)
    • What happened: This bridge was taken down in 2017 and replaced by the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
  • John P. Grace Memorial Bridge
    • Location: Charleston to Mount Pleasant, over the Cooper River
    • Opened: 1929
    • Main Span: 320 meters (1,050 feet)
    • What happened: This bridge was taken down in 2005 and replaced by the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.

Images for kids

  • Verrazano Bridge2

    The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, a giant suspension bridge in New York.

  • Golden gate2

    The iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

  • Mackinac Bridge from the air4

    The Mackinac Bridge, connecting Michigan's two peninsulas.

  • George Washington Bridge from New Jersey-edit

    The George Washington Bridge, a busy crossing over the Hudson River.

  • Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Spring-Summer 1967

    The East span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

  • Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Seattle to Portland by train2

    The West span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

  • Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction April 2024

    The Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction.

  • Alfred zampa memorial bridge

    The Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge.

  • Bay Bridge

    The West span of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

  • Whitestone Bridge 2007-2

    The Bronx–Whitestone Bridge in New York City.

  • Delaware Memorial Bridge shooting from the Pennsville, NJ side3

    The Delaware Memorial Bridge, a twin suspension bridge.

  • Walt Whitman Bridge-2

    The Walt Whitman Bridge over the Delaware River.

  • Ambassador Bridge, Windsor2

    The Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Canada.

  • Throggs Neck Bridge, NYC - 2001-edit

    The Throgs Neck Bridge in New York City.

  • Ben Franklin Br

    The Benjamin Franklin Bridge connecting Philadelphia and Camden.

  • New River Gorge Bridge West Virginia 244750516

    The New River Gorge Bridge, a massive arch bridge.

  • Bayonne Bridge Collins Pk jeh-2

    The Bayonne Bridge, a large steel arch bridge.

  • Commodore-Barry-Bridge

    The Commodore Barry Bridge.

  • Bear Mtn Bridge

    The Bear Mountain Bridge over the Hudson River.

  • Williamsburg Bridge full

    The Williamsburg Bridge in New York City.

  • Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Annapolis to Maryland's Eastern Shore LCCN2011632486-2

    The South span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

  • Chesapeake Bay suspension bridge

    The North span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

  • Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge

    The Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge in Rhode Island.

  • Brooklyn Bridge Postdlf

    The historic Brooklyn Bridge.

  • Audubon Bridge2

    The John James Audubon Bridge.

  • Greater New Orleans Bridges, New Orleans, LA

    The Crescent City Connection in New Orleans.

  • Arthur Ravenel Jr. New Cooper River Bridge

    The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in South Carolina.

  • Vincent Thomas Bridge-2

    The Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles.

  • Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge

    The Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge.

  • MidHudson2

    The Mid-Hudson Bridge over the Hudson River.

  • Manhattan Bridge 2007

    The Manhattan Bridge in New York City.

  • Cool looking bridge over the Mississippi on the Great River Road

    The Gramercy Bridge over the Mississippi River.

  • Triborough Bridge and Hell Gate New York City Queens-edit

    The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge.

  • River cruise 2009 27b2

    The Greenville Bridge.

  • Meetup DamesPt 6-14-10-9419

    The Dames Point Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida.

  • Earth Science Eastern Span, San Francisco Bay Bridge, Yerba Buena Island to Oakland DSC 0670 (48765409228)

    The new East span of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

  • USACE Fremont Bridge Portland (cropped)

    The Fremont Bridge in Portland, Oregon.

  • Sidney Lanier Bridge

    The Sidney Lanier Bridge in Georgia.

  • Hartmann Bridge

    The Fred Hartman Bridge in Texas.

  • Astoria - Megler Bridge in 2009

    The Astoria–Megler Bridge.

  • Horace Wilkinson Bridge southeast

    The Horace Wilkinson Bridge in Louisiana.

  • Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana

    The Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge.

  • Mario Cuomo Bridge Overhead

    The Tappan Zee Bridge (Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge).

  • StJohnsBridge2

    The St. Johns Bridge in Portland, Oregon.

  • Mount Hope Bridge from Portsmouth

    The Mount Hope Bridge in Rhode Island.

  • Lewis and Clark Bridge (Columbia County, Oregon scenic images) (colDA0069)

    The Lewis and Clark Bridge over the Columbia River.

  • SunshineSkywayBridge-4SC 6663-35

    The Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida.

  • US 231 Natcher Bridge - Up River

    The William H. Natcher Bridge.

  • Lewis & Clark Bridge in Louisville, Kentucky

    The Lewis and Clark Bridge over the Ohio River.

  • Ed koch edited

    The Queensboro Bridge in New York City.

  • Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory - August 2014

    The Penobscot Narrows Bridge in Maine.

  • Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge

    The Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge.

  • Bill Emerson Bridge2

    The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge.

  • The "new" (1967) Bidwell Bar bridge carrying traffic on California Rt. 162 across Lake Oroville, a manmade reservoir created by the damming of the Feather River LCCN2013631091

    The Bidwell Bar Bridge over Lake Oroville.

  • Carquinez Strait Bridge California

    The East span of the Carquinez Bridge.

  • Army Under Secretary visits Savannah Port (9677873671)

    The Talmadge Memorial Bridge in Savannah, Georgia.

  • Isaiah D. Hart Bridge

    The Hart Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida.

  • Deer Isle Bridge as seen from picnic area, Little Deer Isle image 1

    The Deer Isle Bridge in Maine.

  • Roosevelt Lake Bridge20120106-OC-AMW-0724

    The Theodore Roosevelt Lake Bridge in Arizona.

  • Caltrans District4 7836D064

    The Richmond–San Rafael Bridge.

  • SimonKentonBridge

    The Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge.

  • Hoover Dam and Bypass Bridge (8517107398)

    The Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge near Hoover Dam.

  • 2008-10-05 02 The John Roebling Bridge

    The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge.

  • Dent Bridge2

    The Dent Bridge in Idaho.

  • Harsha Bridge

    The William H. Harsha Bridge.

  • Glen Canyon Dam From River

    The Glen Canyon Dam Bridge.

  • Wheeling Suspension Bridge

    The historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge.

  • Lewiston-Queenston Bridge

    The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge.

  • Newburgh-Beacon Bridge 2

    The Newburgh–Beacon Bridge.

  • Long Beach International Gateway BG

    The Long Beach International Gateway.

  • Hell Gate Bridge by Dave Frieder

    The Hell Gate Bridge, a railway arch bridge.

  • Perrine Bridge Twin Falls2

    The Perrine Bridge in Idaho.

  • Tacoma-narrows-bridge-collapse

    The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsing in 1940.

  • San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, helicopter view 4-edit

    The old East span of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

  • New Suspension Bridge and Tower, Niagara Falls, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views-cropped

    The First Niagara Clifton Bridge.

  • Tappan Zee Bridge 04

    The old Tappan Zee Bridge.

  • Francis Scott Key Bridge Eastern View

    The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

  • Silas N. Pearman & Grace Memorial Bridges (Charleston, South Carolina)

    The John P. Grace Memorial Bridge.

See also

  • Bridges by height
  • Bridges by state
  • Cable-stayed bridges
  • Covered bridges
  • List of toll bridges § United States
  • Transport in the United States
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List of bridges in the United States Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.