Pedestrian Structure in Paris Takes Design to New Levels
French engineers are preparing to lift a 106-meter-long, 550-tonne main span section of an unusual footbridge over the Seine River in Paris later this month, weather permitting. The lens-shaped twin-truss design allows the designers to reduce the amount of steel and provide pedestrian access from two levels.
With a total length of about 300 m, the $25-million bridge crosses the river with a 190-m main span and side spans straddling highways on either bank. The city of Paris is building the bridge to connect the François Mitterrand National Library with Bercy Gardens, east of Notre Dame cathedral.