<P> The Royal Gorge Bridge surpassed the Sidi M'Cid Bridge in Algeria in 1929 to become the highest bridge in the world with a deck height of 955 ft (291 m), measured from the deck to the river surface below . The Liuguanghe Bridge in China surpassed the Royal Gorge Bridge in 2001 to become the new highest bridge with a deck height of 974 ft (297 m). The Royal Gorge Bridge surrendered the title of the world's highest suspension bridge when the Beipan River Guanxing Highway Bridge in China was completed in 2003 with a deck height of 1,200 ft (366 m). Several more even higher bridges, mostly in China, have been completed since 2003 causing the Royal Gorge Bridge to drop out of the top ten highest bridges in the world . The Royal Gorge Bridge remains the highest bridge in the United States and among the top twenty highest bridges in the world; however, several additional very high bridges are scheduled for completion through 2021 . If all the planned bridges are completed, they will move the Royal Gorge Bridge out of the top twenty places in the rankings . </P> <P> Since late 2016, the highest bridge is China's Beipanjiang Bridge Duge, which has a cable - stayed span with a deck height of 1,854 ft (565 m). The current highest suspension bridge is China's Sidu River Bridge opened in 2009 with a deck height of 1,627 ft (496 m). </P> <P> The bridge was built between June and November 1929 at a cost of $350,000, which was $100,000 over budget . Adjusting for inflation, the cost to rebuild in the 2010s would be over $20 million . The project was financed by Lon P. Piper, president of the Royal Gorge Bridge and Amusement Company of San Antonio, Texas . Piper hired George E. Cole as the Chief Engineer and the bridge was completed in about six months with no deaths or serious injuries . The formal opening occurred on December 8, 1929 . Piper agreed to a twenty - year lease of the gorge and surrounding land, which is owned by Cañon City, paying a $1000 yearly fee to the city with a reduced fee of $500 in some years of hardship . </P> <P> In June 1931, the 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge incline railway was built to the bottom of the gorge through a narrow cleft just west of the north end of the bridge . In August 1931, the first suicide occurred when a man from Pueblo, Colorado jumped off the bridge . In 1937, a lighting system was installed to illuminate the bridge and the gorge walls . </P>

The highest bridge in the world is the bridge over the royal gorge