Chavanon Bridge

Chavanon Bridge
Viaduc Chavanon
Merlines, Limousin, France
328 feet high / 100 meters high
984 foot span / 300 meter span
2000

One of the most original highway suspension bridges ever built, the Chavanon Viaduct is unusual for having its support cables in the centerline of the bridge instead of on the outside. The A-frame towers are also a radical departure from the usual H-frame suspension bridge towers. In recent years, most long span bridge designs have been some kind of cable stayed variant. The Chavanon bridge makes a bold statement that new bridge concepts can still come from old forms. Designed by the famous French bridge company Jean Muller International, the design is referred to as a monocable suspension bridge. The only other single plane suspension bridge of any size is the Konohana bridge in Osaka, Japan which also has a main span of 984 feet (300 mtrs).

Chavanon Bridge satellite image.

Image by Fabien1309.