List of bridges in the United States by height

This is a list of the highest bridges in the United States by height over land or water.

Royal Gorge Bridge, highest bridge in the United States

Definitions

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Height in this list refers to the distance from the bridge deck to the lowest point on the land, or the water surface, directly below. A bridge's deck height is greater than its clearance below, which is measured from the bottom of the deck structure, with the difference being equal to the thickness of the deck structure at the point with the greatest clearance below. Official figures for a bridge's height are often provided only for the clearance below, so those figures may be used instead of actual deck height measurements. For bridges that span tidal water, the clearance below is measured at the average high water level.

The minimum height for inclusion in this list is 130 ft (40 m), which may be either the deck height or the clearance below depending on available references. Note that the following types of bridges are not included in this list: demolished high bridges; historic high bridges such as those over reservoirsregardless of current reservoir levelsthat were filled after the bridge was complete, unless the dam has since been removed; and vertical-lift bridges, even those with raised span heights greater than this list's minimum height.

List of bridges

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Most of the bridges in this list derive their height from crossing between the rims of a deep canyon. Some others cross navigation channels and are designed with a deck clearance that can accommodate oceangoing vessels, such as container ships, ocean liners and cruise ships. The largest of these is around 220 feet (67 m), so there are often bridges with approximately that height located in coastal cities with bays or inlets, such as New York City's Verrazzano–Narrows Bridge and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.[1]

Height Name Spans Completed State(s)
955 ft (291.1 m)Royal Gorge BridgeArkansas River1929Colorado pedestrian only bridge
900 ft (274.3 m)Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial BridgeColorado River2010Arizona / Nevada
876 ft (267.0 m)New River Gorge BridgeNew River1977West Virginia
730 ft (222.5 m)Foresthill BridgeAmerican River1973California
700 ft (213.4 m)Glen Canyon Dam BridgeColorado River1959Arizona
Phil G. McDonald Bridge (Glade Creek Bridge)Glade Creek1988West Virginia
565 ft (172.2 m)Rio Grande Gorge BridgeRio Grande1965New Mexico
486 ft (148.1 m)Perrine BridgeSnake River1976Idaho
470 ft (143.3 m)Navajo Bridge (dual spans; the 1929 span is 467 ft high)Colorado River1929 / 1995Arizona
464 ft (141.4 m)Moyie River Canyon BridgeMoyie River1965Idaho
450 ft (137.2 m)Pine Valley Creek BridgePine Valley Creek1974California
400 ft (121.9 m)Cold Spring Canyon Arch BridgeCold Spring Canyon1964California
388 ft (118.3 m)Burro Creek Bridge (dual spans)[2][3][4][note 1]Burro Creek1966 / 2005Arizona
375 ft (114.3 m)High Steel BridgeSkokomish River1929Washington
370 ft (112.8 m)Hoffstadt Creek Bridge[5][6]Hoffstadt Creek1994Washington
Lewiston–Queenston BridgeNiagara River1962New York / Ontario (Canada)
350 ft (106.7 m)Hansen BridgeSnake River1966Idaho
347 ft (105.8 m)Vance Creek BridgeVance Creek1929Washington
345 ft (105.2 m)Thomas Creek BridgeThomas Creek1961Oregon
325 ft (99.1 m)Fred G. Redmon BridgeSelah Creek1971Washington
320 ft (97.5 m)Crooked River Railroad BridgeCrooked River1911Oregon
300 ft (91.4 m)Rex T. Barber Veterans Memorial BridgeCrooked River2000Oregon
Veterans Memorial Centennial BridgeBennett Bay1991Idaho
296 ft (90.2 m)Hurricane Gulch BridgeHurricane Gulch1921Alaska
295 ft (89.9 m)Crooked River High BridgeCrooked River1926Oregon
Galena Creek BridgeGalena Creek2012Nevada
285 ft (86.9 m)Sunlight Creek Bridge[7]Sunlight Creek1985Wyoming
283 ft (86.3 m)Young's High BridgeKentucky River1889Kentucky
275 ft (83.8 m)High Bridge of KentuckyKentucky River1877Kentucky
Pecos River High BridgePecos River1944Texas
273 ft (83.2 m)Pecos River Highway Bridge[8]Pecos River1957Texas
270 ft (82.3 m)Emlenton BridgeAllegheny River1968Pennsylvania
265 ft (80.8 m)Grassy Creek Bridge[9][10]Grassy Creek2016Kentucky / Virginia
260 ft (79.2 m)Bixby Creek BridgeBixby Creek1932California
260 ft (79.2 m)Conrad Lundy Jr. BridgeWind River1957Washington
255 ft (77.7 m)Confusion Hill Bridges (south span)South Fork Eel River2009California
250 ft (76.2 m)Fairfax BridgeCarbon River1921Washington
Mingo Creek ViaductMingo Creek2002Pennsylvania
245 ft (74.7 m)Clays Ferry Bridge[11]Kentucky River1946 / 1963 / 1998Kentucky
240 ft (73.2 m)Genesee Arch BridgeGenesee River2017New York
George Westinghouse BridgeTurtle Creek1932Pennsylvania
Tunkhannock Viaduct Tunkhannock Creek 1915 Pennsylvania
239 ft (72.8 m)Jeremiah Morrow BridgeLittle Miami River2016Ohio
238 ft (72.5 m)Kuskulana River Bridge[12]Kuskulana River1910Alaska
228 ft (69.5 m)Verrazzano–Narrows BridgeThe Narrows1964New York
225 ft (68.6 m)Peter Guice Memorial BridgeGreen River1972North Carolina
Whirlpool Rapids BridgeNiagara River1897New York / Ontario (Canada)
220 ft (67.1 m)Golden Gate BridgeGolden Gate1937California
Laurel Creek Gorge BridgeLaurel Creek2002North Carolina
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge (western span)San Francisco Bay1936California
215 ft (65.5 m)Bayonne BridgeKill Van Kull1931New York / New Jersey
212 ft (64.6 m)George Washington BridgeHudson River1931New York / New Jersey
Valley View BridgeCuyahoga Valley1977Ohio
Walkway over the HudsonHudson River1889New York
210 ft (64.0 m)Lewis and Clark BridgeColumbia River1930Oregon / Washington
206 ft (62.8 m)Claiborne Pell Newport BridgeNarragansett Bay1969Rhode Island
205 ft (62.5 m)Long Beach International Gateway BridgeBack Channel, Port of Long Beach2020California
St. Johns BridgeWillamette River1931Oregon
204 ft (62.2 m)Thomas Rukavina Memorial Bridge[13][14][15]Rouchleau Mine Pit2017Minnesota
203 ft (61.9 m)Leo Frigo Memorial BridgeFox River1981Wisconsin
202 ft (61.6 m)Rainbow BridgeNiagara River1941New York / Ontario (Canada)
200 ft (61.0 m)Hite Crossing BridgeColorado River1966Utah
Mackinac BridgeStraits of Mackinac1957Michigan
Mon–Fayette Expressway BridgeMonongahela River2013Pennsylvania
Red Cliff BridgeEagle River1940Colorado
San Diego–Coronado BridgeSan Diego Bay1969California
Tacoma Narrows Bridge (dual spans)Tacoma Narrows1950 / 2007Washington
196 ft (59.7 m)Astoria–Megler BridgeColumbia River1966Oregon / Washington
192 ft (58.5 m)Commodore Barry BridgeDelaware River1974Pennsylvania / New Jersey
191 ft (58.2 m)San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge (eastern span)San Francisco Bay2013California
190 ft (57.9 m)Hawk Falls Bridge[16]Mud Run1957Pennsylvania
Union Pacific Kate Shelley BridgeDes Moines River2009Iowa
186 ft (56.7 m)Arthur Ravenel Jr. BridgeCooper River2005South Carolina
Chesapeake Bay Bridge (dual spans)Chesapeake Bay1952 / 1973Maryland
Goat Canyon TrestleGoat Canyon1933California
185 ft (56.4 m)Former Francis Scott Key Bridge[17]Patapsco River1977Maryland
Kate Shelley High Bridge (Boone Viaduct)Des Moines River1901Iowa
Richmond–San Rafael BridgeSan Francisco Bay1956California
Sidney Lanier BridgeBrunswick River2003Georgia
Talmadge Memorial BridgeSavannah River1991Georgia
Vincent Thomas BridgeLos Angeles Harbor1963California
184 ft (56.1 m)Soo Line High BridgeSt. Croix River1911Minnesota / Wisconsin
182 ft (55.5 m) Ship Canal Bridge Lake Washington Ship Canal 1961 Washington
181 ft (55.2 m)Sunshine Skyway BridgeTampa Bay1987Florida
180 ft (54.9 m)Deception Pass BridgePuget Sound1935Washington
180 ft (54.9 m)Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway BridgeWest Branch Susquehanna River2022Pennsylvania
178 ft (54.3 m)Fred Hartman BridgeHouston Ship Channel1995Texas
177 ft (53.9 m)Rainbow BridgeNeches River1936Texas
175 ft (53.3 m)Dames Point BridgeSt. Johns River1989Florida
Fremont BridgeWillamette River1973Oregon
Horace Wilkinson BridgeMississippi River1968Louisiana
Sam Houston Ship Channel BridgeHouston Ship Channel1982Texas
Wilson Creek BridgeWilson Creek2001Virginia
174 ft (53.0 m)Delaware Memorial Bridge (dual spans)Delaware River1951 / 1968Delaware / New Jersey
172 ft (52.4 m)Clio TrestleWillow Creek1909California
170 ft (51.8 m)Beaver River BridgeBeaver River1952Pennsylvania
Crescent City Connection (dual spans)Mississippi River1958 / 1988Louisiana
E. H. Swindell BridgeEast Street Valley1930Pennsylvania
Sunshine BridgeMississippi River1964Louisiana
Wissahickon Memorial BridgeWissahickon Creek1932Pennsylvania
167 ft (50.9 m)

Aurora Bridge

Lake Union 1932 Washington
166 ft (50.6 m)Massachusetts Turnpike's Westfield River Bridge[18]Westfield River1957Massachusetts
165 ft (50.3 m)Veterans Memorial BridgeMississippi River1995Louisiana
163 ft (49.7 m)Quechee Gorge BridgeOttauquechee River1911Vermont
162 ft (49.4 m)Hi-Line Railroad BridgeSheyenne River1908North Dakota
160 ft (48.8 m)High BridgeMississippi River1987Minnesota
158 ft (48.2 m)Hale Boggs Memorial BridgeMississippi River1983Louisiana
157 ft (47.9 m)Tulip TrestleRichland Creek1906Indiana
155 ft (47.2 m)Bear Mountain BridgeHudson River1924New York
Blue Water Bridge (dual spans)St. Clair River1938 / 1997Michigan / Ontario (Canada)
Gerald Desmond BridgeBack Channel, Port of Long Beach1968California
Green River Gorge Bridge[19] Green River 1915 Washington
153 ft (46.6 m)Huey P. Long Bridge (Jefferson Parish)Mississippi River1935Louisiana
Walt Whitman BridgeDelaware River1957Pennsylvania / New Jersey
152 ft (46.3 m)Ambassador BridgeDetroit River1929Michigan / Ontario (Canada)
Kingston–Rhinecliff BridgeHudson River1957New York
Mathews BridgeSt. Johns River1953Florida
150 ft (45.7 m)Conde McCullough Memorial BridgeCoos Bay1936Oregon
John E. Fitzgerald Bridge (Clarks Summit Bridge)[20][21][22]U.S. Routes 6 and 111955Pennsylvania
Paul Bryant BridgeBlack Warrior River2004Alabama
Rosendale TrestleRondout Creek1872New York
Thousand Islands BridgeSaint Lawrence River1937New York / Ontario (Canada)
Varina-Enon BridgeJames River1990Virginia
148 ft (45.1 m)Carquinez Bridge (dual spans)Carquinez Strait1958 / 2003California
147 ft (44.8 m)Cut River BridgeCut River1947Michigan
Walnut Lane BridgeWissahickon Creek1908Pennsylvania
145 ft (44.2 m)Jordan BridgeSouthern Branch Elizabeth River2012Virginia
Natchez Trace Parkway BridgeState Route 961994Tennessee
Rip Van Winkle BridgeHudson River1935New York
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge[23]James River2002Virginia
144 ft (43.9 m)Glenn L. Jackson Memorial BridgeColumbia River1982Oregon / Washington
143 ft (43.6 m)Henry Hudson BridgeSpuyten Duyvil Creek1936New York
Outerbridge CrossingArthur Kill1928New York / New Jersey
Triborough Bridge (Robert F. Kennedy Bridge)East River1936New York
142 ft (43.3 m)Throgs Neck BridgeEast River1961New York
141 ft (43.0 m)Hart BridgeSt. Johns River1967Florida
140 ft (42.7 m) Bridge of the Gods Columbia River 1926 Oregon / Washington
Cochrane–Africatown USA BridgeMobile River1991Alabama
Confusion Hill Bridges (north span)South Fork Eel River2008California
Goethals BridgeArthur Kill1928New York / New Jersey
Governor Thomas Johnson BridgePatuxent River1977Maryland
High Bridge (Aqueduct Bridge)Harlem River1848 / 1927New York
Israel LaFleur BridgeCalcasieu River1962Louisiana
West Seattle Bridge Duwamish Waterway 1984 Washington
139 ft (42.4 m)New Tappan Zee Bridge (Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge)Hudson River2017New York
138 ft (42.1 m)Albertus L. Meyers BridgeLittle Lehigh Creek1913Pennsylvania
Benicia–Martinez Bridge (dual roadway spans)Carquinez Strait1962 / 2007California
Corpus Christi Harbor BridgePort of Corpus Christi1959Texas
Tappan Zee BridgeHudson River1955New York
137 ft (41.8 m)Cascade Creek Trestle[24][25]Cascade Creek1889Colorado
U.S. Route 20 Iowa River Bridge[26][27]Iowa River2003Iowa
136 ft (41.5 m) Monroe Street Bridge Spokane River 1911 Washington
135 ft (41.1 m)Antioch BridgeSan Joaquin River1978California
Benicia–Martinez Bridge (railway span)Carquinez Strait1928California
Benjamin Franklin BridgeDelaware River1926Pennsylvania / New Jersey
Betsy Ross BridgeDelaware River1976Pennsylvania / New Jersey
Bourne Bridge, Sagamore BridgeCape Cod Canal1935Massachusetts
Bronx–Whitestone BridgeEast River1939New York
Brooklyn BridgeEast River1883New York
Calcasieu River BridgeCalcasieu River1952Louisiana
Castleton BridgeHudson River1959New York
Charles M. Braga Jr. Memorial BridgeTaunton River1965Massachusetts
Delaware River–Turnpike Toll BridgeDelaware River1956Pennsylvania / New Jersey
Girard Point Bridge[28]Schuylkill River1985Pennsylvania
Gold Star Memorial Bridge (dual spans)Thames River1943 / 1973Connecticut
Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial BridgePotomac River1940Maryland / Virginia
Hell Gate BridgeEast River1916New York
Jamestown Verrazzano BridgeNarragansett Bay1992Rhode Island
Manhattan BridgeEast River1909New York
Mid-Hudson BridgeHudson River1930New York
Mount Hope BridgeMount Hope Bay1929Rhode Island
Newburgh–Beacon Bridge (dual spans)Hudson River1963 / 1980New York
Penobscot Narrows Bridge and ObservatoryPenobscot River2006Maine
Piscataqua River BridgePiscataqua River1972Maine / New Hampshire
San Mateo–Hayward BridgeSan Francisco Bay1967California
Sidney Sherman BridgeHouston Ship Channel1973Texas
Tobin BridgeMystic River1950Massachusetts
Williamsburg BridgeEast River1903New York
134 ft (40.8 m)All-America BridgeLittle Cuyahoga River1982Ohio
Washington BridgeHarlem River1888New York
132 ft (40.2 m)Henderson County Bridge[29][30]Green River1927North Carolina
130 ft (39.6 m)Queensboro Bridge (59th Street Bridge)East River1909New York
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See also

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Notes

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  1. The americanbridge.net reference for Burro Creek Bridge provides a vertical clearance figure of 370 ft (113 m) which is 18 ft (5 m) lower than the deck heights for the two spans of this bridge as provided by highestbridges.com, the difference being due to the deck truss height.

References

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  1. Sharp, John (August 10, 2014). "I-10 Bridge height to accommodate cruise ships, but what if they never come?". al.com. Alabama Media Group. Archived from the original on April 12, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  2. Sakowski, Eric (December 5, 2010). "Burro Creek 1966 Bridge". highestbridges.com. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  3. Sakowski, Eric (December 5, 2010). "Burro Creek 2005 Bridge". highestbridges.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  4. "Burro Creek Bridge, Completion Date: March 01, 1966". americanbridge.net. n.d. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  5. Janberg, Nicolas (February 5, 2016). "Hoffstadt Creek Bridge". structurae.net. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  6. Sakowski, Eric (December 10, 2009). "Hoffstadt Creek Bridge". highestbridges.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  7. Sakowski, Eric (March 13, 2012). "United States Bridges 90 to 100 meters". highestbridges.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  8. "Pecos River Highway Bridge".
  9. Robinson Gibson, Allie (February 15, 2014). "460 Connector, CFX construction projects moving forward in SWVa". Bristol Herald-Courier. Bristol, VA. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  10. "Corridor Q: Route 460 Connector - Phase I". Virginia Department of Transportation. February 24, 2016. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  11. "Evaluation of Condition-Responsive Work Zone Traffic Controls at the I-75 Clays Ferry Bridge". uknowledge.uky.edu. University of Kentucky. June 1998. p. 1. Archived from the original on February 25, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  12. "Wrangell-St Elias National Park & Preserve: McCarthy Road Guide". nps.gov. National Park Service. n.d. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  13. "Highway 53 Bridge Dedicated to Late State Rep. Tom Rukavina". Fox21Online. August 19, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  14. "Iron Range celebrates tallest bridge in state". Twin Cities. September 17, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2017.[dead link]
  15. "Tallest bridge in Minnesota is dedicated. You can drive over it really soon". Twin Cities. September 17, 2017. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  16. Liebler, Kathy; Agnello, Joe (May 18, 1999). "New Mon/Fayette construction contract includes what will be the highest bridges on Pennsylvania Turnpike system". paturnpike.com. Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  17. Note: Collapsed due to ship impact April 2024.
  18. Massachusetts Department of Transportation [@MassDOT] (May 29, 2018). "District Highway in Lenox reports bridge design plans list approximately 166' from the road to the low water level in the river" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  19. "Bridge over the river Green – Black Diamond History". blackdiamondhistory.wordpress.com. April 7, 2010. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  20. Lieberman, William (n.d.). "Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission; Retention of an Engineering or Construction Management Firm ... Reference No. – 5-087 [old name ref]" (PDF). paturnpike.com. Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  21. "The General Assembly of Pennsylvania; House Bill No. 1779; Session of 2009 [new name ref]". legis.state.pa.us. Pennsylvania General Assembly. June 24, 2009. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  22. "Benesch Transportation Projects [height ref: see 5th photo by scrolling down photo gallery, click on Clarks Summit Bridge photo, caption states height as 150 feet]". benesch.com. Alfred Benesch & Company. n.d. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  23. "Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge Design". modjeski.com. Modjeski and Masters. n.d. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  24. Turner, Jack (n.d.). "Rocky Mountain Exploration Part 3: Cumbres & Toltec Railroad". trainweb.org. TrainWeb LLC. Archived from the original on June 26, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  25. "Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Scenery Departing Chama, New Mexico". cumbrestoltec.com. Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. n.d. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  26. "The US 20 bridge over the Iowa River is a major transportation improvement and a distinctive feat of modern engineering". iowadot.gov. Iowa Department of Transportation. 2003. Archived from the original on May 23, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  27. "Project overview: The bridge". iowadot.gov. Iowa Department of Transportation. 2003. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  28. Janberg, Nicolas (February 5, 2016). "Girard Point Bridge". structurae.net. Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  29. "Henderson County Bridge 120 (High or Green River Bridge)". ncdot.gov. North Carolina Department of Transportation. July 11, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  30. "High Bridge, Henderson County, North Carolina". bridgehunter.com. James Baughn. n.d. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
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