Long Bridge

[archbishop]

Which is the longest bridge in the world wholly over water?

[Quizmonster]

Although it depends on definition, the Akashi Kaikyo bridge in Japan may be in there with a shout. (Someone will be here instantaneously to demolish that claim, obviously!) Click http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20000828.html for a website that tries to answer your question. It points out that 'longest' is generally taken to mean the longest point-to-point connection without a pier underneath. The Akashi fits that.

The Pontchartrain Bridge in the USA is the actual 'longest', but it links various islands etc, so is not wholly over water. However, if a bridge has any supporting piers at all, what are they but artificial 'islands' anyway?

[sft42]

The Causeway Bridge (or Pontchartrain) is 24 miles long but as the redoubtable QM points out has many supporting piers in the way in the form of natural islands in many cases....the Akashi bridge is just about to be superceded by the Messina Straights (sic) Bridge which will have a single unsupported span of over two miles ( http://www.strettodimessina.it/ & http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/06/06/ita
ly.bridge/

[Hippy]

Well, I for one will not be going over it if it not supported!

[archbishop]

When I posted this question I was reading a book which was based in New Orleans and their tourist office claims they have the longest bridge in the world wholly over water,The Lake Pontchartrain Bridge.As usual Quizzy gets to the bottom of things.