The Millau Viaduct is a real miracle of engineering, besides, it is the highest road bridge by world standards! There is an amazing building near the city of the same name, south of France.
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| Millau Viaduct |
This high bridge helps to "untie" the busy motorway, which in the shortest way connects two magnificent countries - Barcelona and Paris.
Just imagine, the cost of this splendor reaches 400,000,000 euros, and in order to ride along it you will have to pay, since they plan to “win back” the costs of its construction over the next 80 years.
The Millau Viaduct was designed by Michel Virlojo, an engineer from France. Another project belongs to his hands - the bridge of Normandy, which is the second longest cable-stayed bridge (at the time of Millau's construction). Michel was assisted by another architect, Norman Foster.
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| Millau Viaduct |
The viaduct passes at the lowest point of the Tarn River.
Millau Viaduct has a length of 2460 meters and a width of 32. As for its height, it reaches 343 meters, which exceeds the Eiffel Tower by 20 meters in this parameter.
The roadway at the maximum is slightly lower - 270 meters above the ground. All seven pillars have pylons (height 87 meters) to which 11 pairs of guys are attached to support the bridge.
It is worth noting that even the coating was selected specifically for this project. Two years of research and special asphalt concrete (the base consists of mineral resin) was ready.
Each of the supports occupies four wells (depth 15 meters, diameter - 5), and they have a huge number of various measuring instruments that record information about the condition of the viaduct every second.
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| Millau Viaduct |
The controversy around the construction of the bridge did not subside for a long time. Many assumed that this would completely empty the treasury, and indeed it would never pay off. Skeptics still subsided, because this miracle of modernity soon began to attract tourists (there are 7 viewing platforms), bringing additional income. The bridge itself soon received the status of one of the best structures in all of France.
By the way, the guarantee for the bridge is 120 years!
grand openingMilhaud took place on December 14, 2004. The Millau Viaduct was built in a fairly short period of time; construction began on October 16, 2001. It took 14 years to complete the entire project! 10 of them were spent on research alone. The area where the viaduct is located is famous for its harsh climatic conditions. The strongest winds rule here.
To make it easier for motorists to see this attraction, the bridge design has a curvature of 20 kilometers. When you go on it, one gets the impression that the canvas is endless!
The bridge is four-lane, that is, two in each direction, plus there are two reserve lanes. Do not forget that the passage through it is paid.