An aerial view of the Chaban-Delmas bridge in Bordeaux, France. The central span of the new bridge can be raised up to 77 metres, so that tall ships can pass through.
Hardesty & Hanover is a member of the winning Design-Build team for the Bordeaux Lift Bridge over the Garonne River in Bordeaux, France. The new Garonne River Bridge is a vertical lift bridge with a span length of approximately 117 m and an out-to-out width of approximately 43 m with a design lift height of 50 m.
Hardesty & Hanover provided the design of the mechanical and electrical systems for both the ‘tender submission’ and final construction documents. The lift span will have a symmetric cross section and carry four traffic lanes—two monorail tracks and two outboard sidewalk/bikeways. Four, independent pylon towers - one at each corner of the lift span - will allow a counterweight (a quarter of the total lift span weight) to travel vertically inside each pylon.
Operation of the lift span will be achieved via high strength wire ropes passing over sheaves that connect the lift span to the counterweights. A wire rope winch drive operating system with electric motor and flux vector regenerative drives will haul in and payout the counterweights, thereby raising and lowering the lift span.
The final design documents were completed and delivered in December 2008. Construction is currently in progress and is expected to be completed in 2012.