The world’s longest bridge opened in China this week,
measuring a massive 26.4 miles long.

Stretching across Jiaozhou bay, the bridge connects the port
city of Quingdao with an airport on a nearby island and the industrial suburb
of Huangdao.

It’s so long it could easily span the English Channel.

According to the Guardian, it shortens the drive by 20 miles.

It took four years to build the six-lane, 110-ft wide
bridge, which stands on 5,200 pillars. The bridge was designed by Chinese
engineers and cost £1.42 billion, according to state media.

The bridge uses enough steel for almost 65 Eiffel Towers.
It’s designed to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, typhoons and the impact of
a 30,000 ton ship.

The bridge broke the world record by two-and-a-half miles.
Previously the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway in Louisiana held the title.

In 2016 another bridge in China will steal the title, when
it reaches 30 miles long to link Hong Kong with Macao and Guandong province.