The impressive central span ranks as the longest in the world at 1.24 miles long, and the bridge itself is built to withstand a magnitude 8.5 earthquake. Since 1998, the bridge has carried six lanes of traffic and approximately 23,000 cars a day between the two towns. This 2.4-mile-long bridge spans the Akashi Strait, connecting the city of Kobe on the Honshu mainland with Awaji Island. The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge, but the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (aka the Pearl Bridge) holds the title for the world’s longest.
Think about it: A giant structure of wires and pylons manipulating tension and compression to allow for a single span of heavy material to be suspended in air, thus letting it bridge wide chasms and bodies of water.
Suspension bridges are feats of architectural engineering.
