About two years ago, the Charleston and Mount Pleasant landscapes changed for good: The two old, ricketty bridges that connected the Charleston Peninsula with Mount Pleasant were permanently replaced with a gorgeous new structure that altered the city's skyline forever and has become an identity icon for Charleston.
The Ravenel Bridge is a cable-stayed structure spanning the Cooper River. Its main span is 1,546 feet (471 m) long (the longest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere) and carries 8 lanes of traffic, plus a pedestrian and bike path.
The new bridge not only improved traffic dramatically. The following Post & Courier video talks about the positive effect the bridge has had on lifestyle:
The Ravenel Bridge has also become a huge tourist attraction. The Cooper River Bridge Run (on the first Saturday in April) is one of the largest 10K runs in the world.