General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge

The General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge crosses the narrow strait where Lake Maracaibo connects to the Gulf of Venezuela — a 5.4-mile span that was the longest bridge in Latin America when it opened and is still one of the most impressive on the continent. Named for the independence-era general born in Maracaibo, the bridge links the city to the eastern shore and carries the main road connection between Maracaibo and the rest of Venezuela.

Driving across it gives a dramatic view of both the lake stretching to the south and the gulf to the north, with oil derricks visible in the lake waters on either side. The bridge is best seen from the lakefront in Maracaibo, where its scale — low, white, concrete, seeming to go on forever — is clearly appreciable. It appears on Venezuelan currency and is a national landmark of some significance.

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A story
When it opened in 1962, the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge was the longest prestressed concrete bridge in the world — 8.7 kilometres of roadway over the lake's strait. The engineering was remarkable for its time. In 2020, a structural report found significant deterioration in the prestressed cables, raising questions about the bridge's long-term safety. The Venezuelan government has struggled to fund the repairs. It remains open and in use.