The John James Audubon Bridge will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America. Have you ever wondered what the differences are between a cable-stayed bridge and a suspension bridge? This is a question that is asked frequently.
A cable-stayed bridge consists of one or more towers with cables supporting the bridge deck. The cable-stay design is the optimum bridge for a span length between that of cantilever bridges (a bridge that has structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end) and suspension bridges (a type of bridge where the main load-bearing elements are hung from suspension cables). Within this range of span lengths a suspension bridge would require more cable, while a cantilever bridge would require more material, thus increasing the cost of the project.
A cable-stayed bridge may look similar to a suspension bridge, but in fact is very different in principle and in the method of construction. The cables form the primary load-bearing structure for the bridge deck in a suspension bridge design. In a cable-stayed bridge design, the towers form the primary load-bearing structure.
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