Abstract. Given integers b, c, g, and n, we construct a manifold M containing a c-component link L so that there is a bridge surface Σ for (M, L) of genus g that intersects L in 2b points and has distance at least n. More generally, given two possibly disconnected surfaces S and S ′ , each with some even number (possibly zero) of marked points, and integers b, c, g, and n, we construct a compact, orientable manifold M with boundary S ∪ S ′ such that M contains a c-component tangle T with a bridge surface Σ of genus g that separates ∂M into S and S ′ , |T ∩ Σ| = 2b and T intersects S and S ′ exactly in their marked points, and Σ has distance at least n.