The main cables are strung with vertical cables that attach to the deck. These cables support the deck of the bridge, transferring the weight to the towers at the end. The main cables continue past the tower, and are anchored past the far ends of the bridge. They are carefully balanced so that the force pulling inward on the towers is equal to the force pulling outward. As a result, the weight pulls directly down into the base of the tower. The towers can be fairly thin, since they aren't being pulled to either side. The deck can also be thin, since it is being supported by the cables.
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