From breathtaking beaches to towering mountains and everything in between, there’s no doubt that the Hawaiian Islands are home to some of the world’s most stunning natural wonders — but not everyone knows just how many man-made wonders are found throughout the Aloha State. And though there are several stunning pieces of architecture and feats of engineering in Hawaii, this lengthy bridge that connects the island of Oahu to one of its small, offshore islets might just be one of the most impressive. 

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Spanning more than 4,600 feet in length, the Admiral Clarey Bridge connects Oahu to a small islet found in the center of Pearl Harbor known as Ford Island.

Jen R/Flickr

The 441-acre Ford Island was sold to the United States Army in 1916 for use by an aviation division before being taken over by the Navy in 1939 as a station for battleship and submarine maintenance. Ford Island was designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1964 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

U.S. Pacific Fleet/Flickr

Providing access to Ford Island’s historic sites to the public via tour bus and providing access to Oahu for military families housed on the island, residents were once required to use ferry boats operated by Navy personnel to travel back and forth.

Jimmy Smth/Flickr

Construction began in the mid-1990s and the bridge cost approximately 78 million dollars and took two years to complete, coming in under budget and completed ahead of time.

Wally Gobetz/Flickr

The floating concrete drawbridge features not only a 930-foot pontoon section that can be retracted under the fixed bridge in order to accommodate the Navy’s largest battleships and aircraft carriers to pass through but a 650-foot wide channel and a 100-foot wide, 3-foot high opening for smaller craft under an elevated span.

Robert Linsdell/Flickr

Named after one of the Navy’s most decorated officers, Admiral Bernard A. Clarey, this remarkable bridge is one of only a few existing floating bridges, and it’s floating moveable span is the largest worldwide.

Wally Gobetz/Flickr

In 1999, the bridge’s design earned an award of merit for outstanding projects from the American Society of Civil Engineers as well as the United States Department of Transportation Honor Award for design excellence in 2000.

Adam Theo/Flickr

In addition to being a fascinating feat of engineering, the Ford Island Bridge is surrounded by some of the island’s prettiest scenery and features some pretty stellar views.

flightsoffancy/Wikipedia

Have you ever crossed the Admiral Clarey Bridge? Were you visiting one of Ford Island’s many unique historic sites like the USS Battleship Missouri or the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum? 

Jen R/Flickr

U.S. Pacific Fleet/Flickr

Jimmy Smth/Flickr

Wally Gobetz/Flickr

Robert Linsdell/Flickr

Adam Theo/Flickr

flightsoffancy/Wikipedia

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Address: Ford Island Bridge, Honolulu, HI, USA