San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge | featured news

Drivers approaching the majestic Golden Gate Bridge experienced something new on Wednesday - no human toll collectors. The workers were removed in favor of cheaper and faster electronic transponders, and a camera system that photographs every license plate that comes through, mailing an invoice to each motorist who doesn't prepay.

Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely at the Los Angeles International Airport Friday after a whirlwind aerial tour around California landmarks. Strapped to the back of a 747 jumbo jet, the pair touched down around 1 p.m. after a nearly five-hour flyover. One of the crew members stuck an American flag out of the hatch of the jet. The flyover took Endeavour over the state Capitol, Golden Gate Bridge, Hollywood Sign and other icons en route to the Los Angeles airport, where the shuttle will be prepped for a slow-speed journey to its museum home next month.

Suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge and on Caltrain tracks in the Bay Area are on pace to set records. The question is what is prompting them.

From the epic expanse of the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge suspension bridge in Japan to the timeless grandeur of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, the world is covered with bridges that are not only marvels of engineering but also of beauty and inspiration.

In honor of these achievements, we present 12 stunning bridges from around the globe which are both wonders of design and icons of the creative spirit. And, perhaps best of all, they're of invaluable use.