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Famous Bridges
Bridges are structures. They are built across rivers, valleys, seas, and even across roads and railways. Bridges help move people and vehicles from one side of something to the other side.
Early bridges were made from stone or wood. There are still bridges built today from these materials because they are not very expensive and the bridges are easier to build. But most new bridges are built from steel and concrete.
There are many different types of bridges, including arch bridges, beam bridges, and suspension bridges.
Arch Bridges
Arch bridges have been built for hundreds of years. The Romans were famous for building them. Arches give this bridge its strength. Arch bridges can be built from many materials including wood, stone, concrete, or steel. A bridge can have one or many arches. One famous arch bridge is the Peace Bridge. This is an international bridge between Canada and the United States. It connects Fort Erie, Ontario, with Buffalo, New York. It has five arches.
Beam Bridges
Simple beam bridges are the oldest known bridges—even older than arch bridges. They have vertical pilings and horizontal beams. The road is built on the horizontal beams. Beam bridges can be made very long by adding more vertical pilings. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana in the United States is a famous beam bridge. It is really 2, two-lane bridges side by side. It is 39 kilometres long and has over 9000 pilings.
Suspension Bridges
Suspension bridges are strong and can span long distances. They are usually found across harbours. Suspension bridges have steel cables that stretch over two towers. These cables are attached at each end of the bridge to an anchor. Smaller cables are attached to the big cables at one end and the road at the other. They help support the road. The Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a famous suspension bridge. It opened in 1938. At night, it is lit with lights and looks very beautiful.
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