Two Alabama bridges rank among longest in U.S. Have you crossed them?

In Alabama’s coastal landscape, two Alabama bridges quietly stand among the longest in the United States. 

A new World Atlas ranking of the 11 longest bridges in the United States is a reminder that not all crossings are so forgettable. These are the spans that stretch the idea of a “quick drive” into something else entirely.

As World Atlas notes, the country’s roughly 617,000 bridges are mostly routine. The ones on this list “swallow the horizon,” turning open water into a roadway that can take ten or fifteen minutes to cross. 

Louisiana dominates the ranking, but Alabama also makes its presence known with two entries: the Jubilee Parkway and the General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge.

Jubilee Parkway: Alabama’s 7.5-mile bridge ranks No. 7 among longest in US

Ranked at No. 7 on World Atlas’ list, the Jubilee Parkway carries Interstate 10 across Mobile Bay as a pair of parallel viaduct bridges stretching 7.5 miles between Mobile and Spanish Fort/Daphne. Opened in 1978, the four-lane crossing is often called the “Bayway.”

The World Atlas says the bridge takes its name from Mobile Bay’s “jubilee” phenomenon, when marine life is pushed into shallow water, making it unusually easy to catch.

General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge: 6.08-mile span ranks No. 10 in U.S.

The General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge ranks No. 10 on the World Atlas list, stretching 6.08 miles across the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta northeast of Mobile as part of Interstate 65.

World Atlas says the bridge is better known locally as the “Dolly Parton Bridge,” a nickname inspired by the paired arch design that, locals say, resembles a distinctive silhouette when viewed from certain angles.

Completed in 1980, it features twin parallel weathering-steel arches and concrete viaducts carrying four lanes over the wide, marshy delta.

Longest bridges in the U.S. Full World Atlas ranking

World Atlas ranks these as the longest bridges in the U.S.:

1. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway: 23.83 miles
2. Manchac Swamp Bridge: 22.8 miles
3. Louisiana Airborne Memorial Bridge: 18.2 miles
4. Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: 17.6 miles
5. Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge: 11 miles
6. Louisiana Highway 1 Bridge: 8.26 miles
7. Jubilee Parkway: 7.5 miles
8. San Mateo-Hayward Bridge: 7 miles
9. Seven Mile Bridge: 6.79 miles
10. General W.K. Wilson Jr. Bridge: 6.08 miles
11. Norfolk Southern Lake Pontchartrain Bridge: 5.8 miles

Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter in Alabama for USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect Team. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com.