Cantilever bridges consist of two independent beams called cantilevers that extend from opposite banks of a waterway. The two cantilevers are joined together above the middle of the waterway by a beam, girder, or truss. Cantilever bridges may have spans as long as about 1,800 feet.
Each cantilever has two sections, an anchor arm and a cantilever arm. The anchor extends between an abutment and a pier. The pier supports one end of the cantilever, and the other end extends freely over the waterway. The free ends of the two cantilevers are joined together by a suspended span.
Most cantilever bridges have two anchor spans and one center span. Each anchor span consists of an anchor arm. The suspended span and the two cantilever arms make up the center span. Many cantilever bridges have truss framework. Most bridges of the cantilever type are made of steel or prestressed concrete.
Examples of this type of bridge are Commodore John Barry - Delaware River, Chester, PA. and Bridgeport, NJ. and Osaka Port - Osaka Bay, Japan