13. Confederation Bridge, PEI, Canada
Canada’s 8-mile-long Confederation Bridge links Prince Edward Island with mainland New Brunswick. More intimidating than the length of the bridge is the frigid waters over which it runs. The longest curved bridge running over ice-covered water, the bridge’s engineers designed a revolutionary way of dealing with Mother Nature: “Bridge designers developed a 52 degree conical ice shield located on the pier shaft to break up the ice. This ice shield actually lifts the ice flow up so it breaks on its own weight.”
14. Eshima Ohashi Bridge, Japan
It’s not merely enough for the Eshima Ohashi Bridge to rise and fall with the sudden arcs of a rollercoaster. No, this scary bridge that connects the Japanese cities of Matsue and Sakaiminato also has undulations in the road on the way down. Nearly a mile long, the Eshima Ohashi Bridge is built that way so that fishing boats can pass under with ease.
15. Shansha Bridge, India
While it may not be the most awe-inspiring bridge, simply getting across India’s Shansha’s Bridge is a real accomplishment. The bridge is considered in “very poor condition,” the rough gravel path of the Tandi-Kishtwar Road gives way only to the half-rotted wood of the bridge. Every creak is enough to give you a heart attack.
