Beyond Science

No, your eyes are not fooling you, this bridge is actually not one bridge but two parallel twin bridges, built in 1958 for the first one and in 1988 for the second one... well they might not be true twins...

These bridges are cantilever bridges, a special kind of bridges where the mechanical concept is pretty much the same as a balcony : perfect for New Orleans right?

Anyway, when the first bridge was inaugurated it was said to be the longest cantilever bridge in the world. But, as always with bridges, one should be suspicious of the meaning of "longest" because it was the longest in terms of total length (920m) but only the third in terms of length of main suspended span (480m) -- what truly interests the engineer -- after the two world famous Forth Bridge (Scotland) and Quebec Bridge (Canada).

In 1988, the second twin bridge was open to circulation. Its creation solved the problem of the rapidly growing traffic need and allowed for the replacement of the old bridge's deck from asphalt-on-steel to concrete. It is way larger than its brother (28m against 16m) thus allowing for special large vehicules lanes.

These twin bridges are a delight to see while eating a beignet along the Mississippi River !

Built between February 1987 and February 1988, this is the third longest bridge in France (the first one being the Saint-Nazaire bridge and the second the Île d'Oléron bridge). It is composed of 6 viaducts in prestressed concrete and is arranged in a very elegant curve culminating 43m above sea level.

Of course designed by Michel Virlogeux this bridge is a must see!

With 2 bridges from the Eiffel family : the Dom Luis I bridge (engineer Théophile Seyrig, student of Gustave Eiffel) which has 2 decks and replace a suspended bridge where one pile is left and transformed into a coffee and the Maria Pía bridge (engineer Gustave Eiffel) with its beautiful hinges at the bottom of the arch. Note that both these bridges have a superior deck that is merged with the arch instead of above it which will become the signature of Théophile Seyrig!

The last bridge I am showing is the Arabia bridge, last one on the Douro river before the ocean! Thanks to a nice company Porto bridge climb you can climb in the arch of this bridge using maintenance stairs. Very fun experience for civil engineers and bridge lovers!

The cable-stayed bridge over the Zuari River in Panjim is still under construction.

A pedestrian bridge to walk between restaurants at high tide on the Ashvem page.

Atal Setu cable-stayed bridge to be completed in 2019!

Very recent specimens. Civil engineering still has a long way to go!

A built on bridge from the XIIIst century! Old school but still holding it well!

In South Jordan not much bridges so far but one on the highway to the Dead Sea and the "small bridge" in Wadi Rum.

One actually functionning bascule bridge in Cape Town. Wait a little bit to see it working it's fantastic !