Unveiling the World's Top 9 Priciest Construction Projects

7. The Kaikyo-Akashi Bridge

Situated on Japan's Awaji Island and Kobe Founded in 1998 Price: $3.6 billion After public pressure forced the Japanese government to take action over the hazardous Akashi Strait, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge was constructed. Prior to the bridge's construction, Honshu residents were transported to Awaji Island via ferries. The hazardous river is subject to frequent, powerful storms. Plans for the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge were created in 1955 when two boats sank, killing 168 people.

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Kaikyo-Akashi Bridge ©Shutterstock/SSean Pavone The building started in 1988 and took ten years to finish. At a billion-dollar cost, more than a hundred contractors were needed to finish the project. Nicknamed "Pearl Bridge," the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is a six-line suspension bridge. It is a segment of the Kobe-Awaji-Naruto Expressway (E28).

8. Floating Bridge on State Route 520

Place of origin: Seattle, Washington Founded in 1963 (redone in 2016) $250 million was spent. The State Route 520 Floating Bridge, sometimes referred to as the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge or just the 520 Bridge, has an overall project budget of $4.56 billion. The construction of the bridge itself cost $206 million. The original 520 Bridge had a floating span with 33 pontoons that measured 7,578 feet in length. In 1963, it was made public.

Floating Bridge on State Route 520 ©VDB Images/SShutterstock The $250 million new floating bridge was completed and made public in 2016. The original 520 Bridge had to be replaced because certain parts of its structure were vulnerable due to its construction prior to the adoption of current seismic engineering standards. These problems were solved by the contemporary floating bridge.