Marão Bridge
Marão Bridge
Viaduto Marão
Amarante, Porto, Portugal
492 feet high / 150 meters high
486 foot span / 148 meter span
2012
Completed in 2012, the Viaduto Marão joined the 2011-built Despe-te que suas Bridge and the 1995 Rio Zêzere Bridge to become Portugal's highest span in a 3 way tie. All are approximately 150 meters from deck to water. With 4 main spans of 148 meters, this is arguably the largest viaduct ever built in Portugal. The bridge is located on the western end of a new 30 kilometer highway extension that links up Amarante to Vila Real in Northern Portugal. The new route bypasses an older highway with less turns and easier grades.
The huge, single cell rectangular box girder is 29.5 meters wide with gradual banking that changes from left to right as the bridge follows an S-shaped path as it crosses the deep Marão River valley.
Also on the new autopista is the 105 meter high Viaduto Sordo and the Viaduto Giao in the near 100 meter height range.
Image by Fiomental.
Image by Fiomental.
Image by Peri.
Image by Peri.
The huge single cell girder is 29.5 meters wide. Image by Fiomental.
A wide satellite view of the Marão Bridge construction site shows the path of the new highway south of the older route. The bypass required the construction of several large viaducts and tunnels.
Significant progress can clearly be seen on the construction of piers 2, 4, 5 and 6 while pier 3 is just above the foundation stage. You can double click on the image for a closer look.
