Difference between revisions of "San Marcos Bridge"

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Due for completion in 2013, the soaring San Marcos bridge will be the largest and tallest bridge on the final Nuevo Necaxa-Tihuatlán section of the México-Tuxpan highway now under construction.  Extending from Mexico City to the Gulf of Mexico, the first and last thirds of the 182 mile (293 km) highway were finished in 2005.  The difficulty in completing the highway lies in the central Nuevo Necaxa–Ávila Camacho section that runs for 23 miles (37 kms) along the mountainous San Marcos River gorge.  To push the modern carretera through the steep terrain, the engineers will be constructing 9 tunnels and several high bridges.  Three will exceed 100 meters including El Zoquita, Sin Nombre I and San Marcos.  That total reaches 4 if you include the Texcapa Bridge near Huachinango which is 150 meters high and was completed during the first phase of the highway's construction in 2005.
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Completed in 2013, the soaring San Marcos bridge is the largest and tallest bridge on the final Nuevo Necaxa-Tihuatlán section of the México-Tuxpan highway now under construction.  Extending from Mexico City to the Gulf of Mexico, the first and last thirds of the 182 mile (293 km) highway were finished in 2005.  The difficulty in completing the highway lied in the central Nuevo Necaxa–Ávila Camacho section that runs for 23 miles (37 kms) along the mountainous San Marcos River gorge.  To push the modern carretera through the steep terrain, the engineers had to construct 6 tunnels and several high bridges.  Three of these spans exceed 100 meters in height including Xicotepec, San Marcos and Texcapa Bridge, which was completed in 2005.
 
    
 
    
Curving 722 feet (220 meters) above the San Marcos River, the prestressed concrete beam bridge will have the second highest bridge pier in the world after the Millau Viaduct in France.  Rising 732 feet (223 meters) from the top of the foundation to the underside of the beam, pier number 4 will be 148 feet (45 meters) higher than those on either the Longtanhe or Kochertal viaducts in China and Germany.  The San Marcos bridge pier is even taller than the road deck height of the bridge due to the top of the foundation being 46 feet (14 meters) below the water level of the San Marcos River. 
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Curving 722 feet (220 meters) above the San Marcos River, the giant prestressed concrete beam viaduct has the second highest bridge pier in the world after the Millau Viaduct in France.  Rising 682 feet (208 meters) from the top of the foundation to the underside of the beam, pier number 4 is 100 feet (30 meters) higher than those on either the Longtanhe, Akaishi or Kochertal viaducts in China and Germany.   
 
 
You can see a construction site video from early 2010 that was taken from pier 2 high up on the south side of the San Marcos River canyon.  A crane can be seen down at the river where the record breaking pier 4 will be rising throughout 2010. 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UyXbwwasCM&feature=youtube_gdata
 
  
 
Interestingly, the original design for the San Marcos River crossing was for a fin back bridge.  A prestressed beam bridge with a highly variable depth of prestressing, the fin back is unique for having the internal cables at their highest as they pass over the piers, enclosed in a wall or “fin” of concrete.  The hump-like profile may look similar to a cable stayed or extradosed bridge but the engineering has more in common with a beam bridge.  Many consider the lower profile to be more attractive than a conventional prestressed beam bridge.  Mexico has two other large fin back bridges including the Texcapa bridge which is also located on the México-Tuxpan highway and the Papagayo bridge located on the México City-Acapulco highway.   
 
Interestingly, the original design for the San Marcos River crossing was for a fin back bridge.  A prestressed beam bridge with a highly variable depth of prestressing, the fin back is unique for having the internal cables at their highest as they pass over the piers, enclosed in a wall or “fin” of concrete.  The hump-like profile may look similar to a cable stayed or extradosed bridge but the engineering has more in common with a beam bridge.  Many consider the lower profile to be more attractive than a conventional prestressed beam bridge.  Mexico has two other large fin back bridges including the Texcapa bridge which is also located on the México-Tuxpan highway and the Papagayo bridge located on the México City-Acapulco highway.   
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[[File:SanMarcosElevFinal.jpg|750px|center]]<br />
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[[File:SanMarcosElevFinal.jpg|900px|center]]<br />
 
San Marcos Bridge Elevation<br />
 
San Marcos Bridge Elevation<br />
 
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[[File:SanMarcosViaduct.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosBridge.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
 
[[File:SanMarcosFelipeCalderon.jpg|750px|center]]
 
[[File:SanMarcosFelipeCalderon.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Image by SCT.
 
Image by SCT.
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<div style="font-size: 25px; text-align: center;">
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The Tallest Bridges of Mexico and the Torre Mayor Skyscraper<br />
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[[File:MezcalaTowerComparisonFinal.jpg|750px|center]]
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Diagram by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
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[[File:SanMarcosPierSCT.jpg|750px|center]]  
 
[[File:SanMarcosPierSCT.jpg|750px|center]]  
 
Image by SCT.
 
Image by SCT.
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[[File:SanMarcosPierConstructionSchedule.jpg|450px|center]]
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Construction schedule of the world's second tallest pier on the San Marcos Bridge.
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[[File:SanMarcosHighestPierBase.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosPierBaseFamilia.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
  
 
[[File:SanMarcosVicenteGayosso.jpg|450px|center]]  
 
[[File:SanMarcosVicenteGayosso.jpg|450px|center]]  
Image by Vicente Gayosso.  
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Image by Vicente Gayosso.
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[[File:10TallestBridges.jpg|1000px|center]]   
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[[File:10HighestPiers.jpg|1000px|center]]
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[[File:10HighestBridges.jpg|1000px|center]] 
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[[File:SanMarcosPier4Base.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by SCT.
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[[File:SanMarcosPier4Base2.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by SCT.
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[[File:SanMarcosPier4Base3.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by SCT.
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[[File:SanMarcosPier4Base4.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by SCT.
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[[File:SanMarcosLiftTrack.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosPierElevator2.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosExcavation.jpg|750px|center]]
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Slope excavation process for one of the piers on San Marcos Bridge.  Image by SCT.
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[[File:SanMarcosApproachPier.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosPier&Elevator.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosDeckCross.jpg|750px|center]]
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San Marcos Bridge deck cross section.
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[[File:SanMarcosBeamGap.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosDeckCurve.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosPier&Cliff2.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosLowerPierLonglens.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosLonglens3.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:San Marcos niebla.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:SanMarcosUpperHalf.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosPierView2.jpg|450px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosSideView.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosSlopeSupport.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosSouthApproach.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosSouthEnd.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
[[File:SanMarcosComputerView.jpeg|750px|center]]
 
Computer rendering.
 
  
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[[File:SanMarcosTendon.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
[[File:SanMarcosView.jpg|750px|center]]
 
Computer drawing by Proin 3D.
 
  
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[[File:SanMarcosTraveler.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
[[File:6HighestPiers.jpg|750px|center]]
 
  
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[[File:SanMarcosSuspension2.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
For those who might be interested, the list below shows the World's 10 Tallest Bridges as measured from the top of the foundation to the top of the tower.  All are suspension or cable stayed bridges.
 
  
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[[File:SanMarcosSuspension4.jpg|750px|center]]
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A Bailey type truss bridge with a clear span of approximately 60 meters / 200 feet was built to aid in the construction of the giant highway bridge.  A parallel suspension footbridge also crosses the San Marcos River.  Both bridges have a tower to tower distance of approximately 70 meters / 230 feet.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
1.    Millau Viaduct, France 336 meters
 
  
2.   Russky Island Bridge, Russia 320 meters
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[[File:SanMarcosSuspensionBridges.jpg|750px|center]]
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The Bailey truss is assisted by cable stays though it was interesting to see the cables terminate at the top of the south tower.  On the north tower the cables terminate into a ground anchorage.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
3.    Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, Japan 300 meters
 
  
4.   Sutong Bridge, China 300 meters
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[[File:SanMarcosSuspensionCables.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
5.    Stonecutters Bridge, China 290 meters
 
  
6.   Gwangyang Bridge, South Korea 270 meters
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[[File:SanMarcosSuspensionDeck2.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
7.    Jingsha Bridge, China 267 meters
 
  
8.   Great Belt East Bridge, Denmark 254 meters
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[[File:SanMarcosSuspensionFootbridge.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
  
9.    Edong Yangtze Bridge, China 242.5 meters
 
  
10. Mezcala Bridge, Mexico 242 meters
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[[File:SanMarcosSuspensionTruss.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosBridges.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcos&GrupoTriadaTruck.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosLongSuspensionFootbridge.jpg|750px|center]]
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Another long footbridge across the San Marcos River about 1 kilometer downstream of the highway crossing.  With a main span of at least 110 meters / 360 feet, this would rank among the 25 longest footbridges in North America.  Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosFar&Wide.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:LaArdilla&SanMarcos.jpg|750px|center]]
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Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com
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[[File:SanMarcosSatellite.jpg|750px|center]]
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San Marcos Bridge satellite image.
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[[File:SanMarcosSatelliteClose.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:SanMarcosSatelliteWide.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:SanMarcosLocationMap.jpg|750px|center]]
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San Marcos Bridge location map.
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[[File:TexcapaLocationMapWide.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:TuxpanBridgesMap.jpg|750px|center]]
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Map of Tuxpan highway bridges between kilometers 839 - 873.
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[[File:TuxpanTunnelMap.jpg|750px|center]]
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Map of Tuxpan highway tunnels between kilometers 839 - 873.
  
  
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[[File:SanMarcosAerial.jpg|750px|center]]
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[[File:SanMarcosTopoAccess.jpg|550px|center]]
San Marcos Bridge satellite image showing the long and deep gorge of the San Marcos River.  The bridge will cross the river about a third of the way down from the top of image.
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San Marcos Bridge access roads topographic map.
 
 
  
 
[[Category:Bridges in Mexico]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in Mexico]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in Puebla, Mexico]]
 
[[Category:Bridges in Puebla, Mexico]]

Latest revision as of 21:11, 21 February 2022

San Marcos Bridge
Puente San Marcos
Xicotepec de Juárez, Puebla, Mexico
722 feet high / 220 meters high
591 foot span / 180 meter span
2013

SanMarcByJoseM.Saa.jpg


Completed in 2013, the soaring San Marcos bridge is the largest and tallest bridge on the final Nuevo Necaxa-Tihuatlán section of the México-Tuxpan highway now under construction. Extending from Mexico City to the Gulf of Mexico, the first and last thirds of the 182 mile (293 km) highway were finished in 2005. The difficulty in completing the highway lied in the central Nuevo Necaxa–Ávila Camacho section that runs for 23 miles (37 kms) along the mountainous San Marcos River gorge. To push the modern carretera through the steep terrain, the engineers had to construct 6 tunnels and several high bridges. Three of these spans exceed 100 meters in height including Xicotepec, San Marcos and Texcapa Bridge, which was completed in 2005.

Curving 722 feet (220 meters) above the San Marcos River, the giant prestressed concrete beam viaduct has the second highest bridge pier in the world after the Millau Viaduct in France. Rising 682 feet (208 meters) from the top of the foundation to the underside of the beam, pier number 4 is 100 feet (30 meters) higher than those on either the Longtanhe, Akaishi or Kochertal viaducts in China and Germany.

Interestingly, the original design for the San Marcos River crossing was for a fin back bridge. A prestressed beam bridge with a highly variable depth of prestressing, the fin back is unique for having the internal cables at their highest as they pass over the piers, enclosed in a wall or “fin” of concrete. The hump-like profile may look similar to a cable stayed or extradosed bridge but the engineering has more in common with a beam bridge. Many consider the lower profile to be more attractive than a conventional prestressed beam bridge. Mexico has two other large fin back bridges including the Texcapa bridge which is also located on the México-Tuxpan highway and the Papagayo bridge located on the México City-Acapulco highway.

The first fin back bridge was built in Nuremberg, Germany for a commuter railway in 1969. In the U.S., the only one is the 1987-built Barton Creek bridge near Austin, Texas with a main span of 340 feet (103.5 mtrs).

SanMarcosElevFinal.jpg

San Marcos Bridge Elevation


SanMarcosViaduct.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosBridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosFelipeCalderon.jpg

Image by SCT.


The Tallest Bridges of Mexico and the Torre Mayor Skyscraper


MezcalaTowerComparisonFinal.jpg

Diagram by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSecreteria.jpg

Image by SCT.


SanMarcosPierSCT.jpg

Image by SCT.


SanMarcosPierConstructionSchedule.jpg

Construction schedule of the world's second tallest pier on the San Marcos Bridge.


SanMarcosHighestPierBase.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosPierBaseFamilia.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosVicenteGayosso.jpg

Image by Vicente Gayosso.


10TallestBridges.jpg


10HighestPiers.jpg


10HighestBridges.jpg


SanMarcosPier4Base.jpg

Image by SCT.


SanMarcosPier4Base2.jpg

Image by SCT.


SanMarcosPier4Base3.jpg

Image by SCT.


SanMarcosPier4Base4.jpg

Image by SCT.


SanMarcosLiftTrack.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosPierElevator2.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosExcavation.jpg

Slope excavation process for one of the piers on San Marcos Bridge. Image by SCT.


SanMarcosApproachPier.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosPier&Elevator.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosDeckCross.jpg

San Marcos Bridge deck cross section.


SanMarcosBeamGap.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosDeckCurve.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosPier&Cliff2.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosLowerPierLonglens.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosLonglens3.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


San Marcos niebla.jpg


SanMarcosUpperHalf.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosPierView2.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSideView.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSlopeSupport.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSouthApproach.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSouthEnd.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosTendon.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosTraveler.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSuspension2.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSuspension4.jpg

A Bailey type truss bridge with a clear span of approximately 60 meters / 200 feet was built to aid in the construction of the giant highway bridge. A parallel suspension footbridge also crosses the San Marcos River. Both bridges have a tower to tower distance of approximately 70 meters / 230 feet. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSuspensionBridges.jpg

The Bailey truss is assisted by cable stays though it was interesting to see the cables terminate at the top of the south tower. On the north tower the cables terminate into a ground anchorage. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSuspensionCables.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSuspensionDeck2.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSuspensionFootbridge.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSuspensionTruss.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosBridges.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcos&GrupoTriadaTruck.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosLongSuspensionFootbridge.jpg

Another long footbridge across the San Marcos River about 1 kilometer downstream of the highway crossing. With a main span of at least 110 meters / 360 feet, this would rank among the 25 longest footbridges in North America. Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosFar&Wide.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


LaArdilla&SanMarcos.jpg

Image by Eric Sakowski / HighestBridges.com


SanMarcosSatellite.jpg

San Marcos Bridge satellite image.


SanMarcosSatelliteClose.jpg


SanMarcosSatelliteWide.jpg


SanMarcosLocationMap.jpg

San Marcos Bridge location map.


TexcapaLocationMapWide.jpg


TuxpanBridgesMap.jpg

Map of Tuxpan highway bridges between kilometers 839 - 873.


TuxpanTunnelMap.jpg

Map of Tuxpan highway tunnels between kilometers 839 - 873.


SanMarcosHighwayMap.jpg

A map of the most difficult stretch of highway between Nuevo Necaxa and Ávila Camacho.


SanMarcosHighwayMap2.jpg

When completed, the México-Tuxpan highway will connect Mexico City with the Gulf of Mexico 182 miles (293 kms) away.


SanMarcosCarreteraMap.jpg

The new carretera will open up new trade routes to the interior of the country as well as Mexico City.


SanMarcosTopoAccess.jpg

San Marcos Bridge access roads topographic map.