The Minneapolis bridge collapse earlier this year was a reminder of what a special sort of infrastructure a bridge is—different from a tunnel, a causeway, or an elevated highway. All bridges are to some extent gravity-defying, and some can be inspiring. At least to look at. Crossing a bridge—even a beautiful bridge—by car or train is often a letdown; the world seen through a guard rail. That's why footbridges are so special. You can stop in the center of the span, and with a quick turn of the head experience the illusion of standing in midair. Crossing a suspension footbridge, like the 450-foot Capilano Bridge (right) in North Vancouver, British Columbia, you can even feel the slight swaying of the structure. The venerable Capilano is the simplest of bridges—cedar planks slung onto steel cables—but recent footbridges have found many other ways of getting people from here to there, ways that allow architects and engineers to show off their ingenuity.