The document discusses different types of bridges including suspension bridges, arch bridges, beam bridges, and cable stay bridges. Key details include: - Suspension bridges suspend cables from towers to support most of the weight and distribute forces into the earth. The Golden Gate Bridge is an example. - Arch bridges distribute weight onto two supports through their semicircular shape. The Montgomery Meigs bridge had the longest masonry arch at 220 feet when completed in 1863. - Beam bridges use horizontal beams supported at each end to support weight, causing bending that requires steel reinforcement. The longest is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway at 24 miles. - Cable stay bridges use cables in a radial or parallel