The rescue of Bordeaux’s stone bridge

In Bordeaux (France), the stone bridge has been a part of the lives of town’s inhabitants since 1822, however this hyperlink between the 2 banks of the Garonne is sinking a number of millimetres yearly, a sinking that might ultimately result in the destroy of the construction. A significant venture has simply been launched to halt the subsidence.

Article produced in collaboration with Bordeaux Métropole

A bridge steeped in historical past

Till 1822, there was no bridge spanning the Garonne. A number of initiatives had been thought of, however the sturdy present of the river discouraged many engineers and designers.

In 1808, Napoleon, passing via Bordeaux, was struck by the inconvenience of crossing the Garonne, which was slowing down the motion of troops. He then signed a decree ordering a number of works in Bordeaux – together with the development of a bridge. The primary stone was laid in 1812 however the website confronted quite a few issues: sturdy currents, flooding of the river and an absence of monetary assets delayed development. It will be one other 10 years earlier than the bridge was accomplished. It was not till 1 Could 1822 that the stone bridge was lastly inaugurated, beneath the reign of Louis XVIII.

At 486 metres lengthy and with 17 arches resting on 16 piers, it hyperlinks the city centre to the La Bastide district. Designed by engineers Claude Deschamps and Jean-Baptiste Basilide Billaudel, the stone bridge is a exceptional instance of masonry structure of the interval.

Over the centuries, the bridge has undergone varied modifications and reinforcements to adapt to the wants of the city, together with a widening in 1954.

Tolls till 1863 

To satisfy the price of development, the bridge was financed by a mix of personal and public funds, in return for a toll that lasted till 1863. Two toll buildings have been erected on the finish of the bridge; they have been demolished in 1954 when the bridge was widened.

Important work to protect the stone bridge

The stone bridge is exhibiting worrying indicators of fragility. Yearly, a few of its piers sink a number of millimetres because of insufficiently anchored foundations and erosion attributable to the currents of the Garonne. If left untreated, this phenomenon may compromise the steadiness of the construction.

To treatment this example, an unlimited programme of works has simply been launched with a finances of fifty million euros. The principle interventions embody:

• The girdling of the piers to bolster their construction.
• The set up of 160 micropiles pushed as much as 9.5 metres into the mattress of the Garonne to stabilise the foundations.
• The entire renovation of the waterproofing and drainage system on the bridge deck.
• The safety of the pier surrounds towards erosion.
• Heritage restoration of masonry and dealing with.

The work, unfold over 52 months, is being carried out in phases over a number of summers to minimise the influence on site visitors. Throughout development intervals, pedestrian and bicycle owner site visitors is being saved on a single lane, whereas motorised site visitors is being diverted. Different options will likely be put in place to facilitate journey.

A dedication to heritage

Not like most heritage initiatives involving church buildings, cathedrals or châteaux, restoring a bridge clearly has an influence on the day-to-day lifetime of its customers, however this restoration is a part of a necessary method to safeguarding Bordeaux’s heritage.

Restoring this construction will assist protect its historical past and consolidate the bridge in order that it may well proceed to hyperlink the 2 banks of Bordeaux for a few years to return.

Article produced in collaboration with Bordeaux Métropole