Foster's Beautiful French Bridge
The breathtaking British-designed viaduc de Millau, France's first great civil engineering project of the new century and the world's highest bridge, will be inaugurated today by President Jacques Chirac.
The 1.6-mile span has been hailed as one of the most beautiful bridges ever, a work of art as much as an engineering feat. Its architect, Sir Norman Foster, has said driving across at a record 270 metres (885ft) above the Tarn valley should feel like "flying a car".
Completed in three years, the four-lane viaduct will unlock an alternative route from northern Europe to southern France and Spain.
The €400m (£276m) bridge is balanced on seven pillars, each topped by a pylon from which descend the cables that stay the roadway. At 343m high, the top pylon is 20 metres higher than the Eiffel tower.
Sensors have been built into 36,000 tonnes of steel and 206,000 tonnes of concrete to record stresses from the forecast 28,000 vehicles a day in summer and from climatic variations.
The 1.6-mile span has been hailed as one of the most beautiful bridges ever, a work of art as much as an engineering feat. Its architect, Sir Norman Foster, has said driving across at a record 270 metres (885ft) above the Tarn valley should feel like "flying a car".
Completed in three years, the four-lane viaduct will unlock an alternative route from northern Europe to southern France and Spain.
The €400m (£276m) bridge is balanced on seven pillars, each topped by a pylon from which descend the cables that stay the roadway. At 343m high, the top pylon is 20 metres higher than the Eiffel tower.
Sensors have been built into 36,000 tonnes of steel and 206,000 tonnes of concrete to record stresses from the forecast 28,000 vehicles a day in summer and from climatic variations.
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