North America’s Longest Cable Suspension Bridge Opens in South Carolina

The Associated Press reported that hundreds of people filled an eight-lane highway in place of cars and trucks Saturday to dedicate the longest cable-stayed span in North America -- the $632 million Ravenel Bridge

over the Cooper River in South Carolina.
The eight-lane bridge took four years to build and carries U.S. 17 between Charleston and Mount Pleasant, S.C. It is named for Arthur Ravenel Jr., a former state senator and U.S. congressman who was on hand for the dedication. The project was completed a year ahead of schedule.
The new bridge has a main span of 1,546 feet, making it the longest cable-stay span in North America. The Ravenel Bridge is 20 feet longer than the Alex Fraser (Annacis Island) Bridge in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is 1,526 feet. The longest cable-stay span in the world is the Tatara Bridge in Japan at 2,919 feet.