(France) – Millau Viaduct – World Highest Bridge

The Millau Viaduct (French: le Viaduc de Millau, IPA: [vjadyk də mijo]; Occitan: lo Viaducte de Milhau) is a cable-stayed road-bridge that spans the valley of the river Tarn near Millau in southern France. Designed by the British architect Norman Foster and French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, it is the tallest bridge in the world, with one mast's summit at 343.0 metres (1,125 ft). It is the 12th highest bridge in the world, at 270 metres (890 ft) high below the road deck. The viaduct is part of the A75-A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Montpellier. Construction cost was approximately €400 million. It was formally dedicated on 14 December 2004, inaugurated the day after and opened to traffic two days later. The bridge received the 2006 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award.

(France) - Millau Viaduct

 

Timeline

(France) - Millau Viaduct

-    16 October 2001: work begins

-    14 December 2001: laying of the first stone

-    January 2002: laying pier foundations

-    March 2002: start of work on the pier support C8

-    June 2002: support C8 completed, start of work on piers

-    July 2002: start of work on the foundations of temporary, height adjustable roadway supports

-    August 2002: start of work on pier support C0

-    September 2002: assembly of roadway begins

-    November 2002: first piers complete

-    25–26 February 2003: laying of first pieces of roadway

(France) - Millau Viaduct

 

-    November 2003: completion of the last piers (Piers P2 at 245 m (804 ft) and P3 at 221 m (725 ft) are the highest piers in the world.)

-    28 May 2004: the pieces of roadway are several centimetres apart, their juncture to be accomplished within two weeks

(France) - Millau Viaduct

 -    2nd half of 2004: installation of the pylons and shrouds, removal of the temporary roadway supports

-    14 December 2004: official inauguration

(France) - Routes of the four projects of the A75 autoroute around Millau

 -    16 December 2004: opening of the viaduct, ahead of schedule

-    10 January 2005: initial planned opening date

(France) - The Millau viaduct, and the town of Millau on the right

(Wiki)