Crews construct world’s largest self-anchored suspension bridge

In California, crews have been working for more than 10 years to construct the largest self-anchored suspension (SAS) bridge in the world, and Wired has shared some close-up photos of the project, thanks to photographer Joseph Blum, who has seen the entire construction project so far.

The 2,047-foot eastern span of San Francisco’s bay bridge is supported by a single nearly 1-mile long cable connected to a 525-foot tall tower by 200 suspender ropes, according to The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Seismic Safety Projects website. The bridges roadways are compiled of 14 sections, each varying in weight between 559 tons and 1,669 tons, as well as in length, from 64-feet long up to 229-feet long.

Watch the video to the right to learn more about the bridge’s components.

As Wired reported, the span is anchored in mud strata. It features giant shock-absorbing fuses beneath the road that are intended to let the bridge act a seismic neutralizer and allow emergency services to enter San Francisco after an earthquake. The bridge is expected to last 150 years.

The project currently costs $6.3 million — well above initial projections — but could have a final price tag of more than $12 billion.

To check out some of the photos of the bridge’s construction, head over to Wired to view more.