Vihantasalmi Bridge, King-post truss road bridge in Mäntyharju, Finland.
The Vihantasalmi Bridge is a wooden king-post truss bridge that carries traffic across the river with separate paths for pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles. Its structure combines glue-laminated timber trusses with timber-concrete composite beams to create a solid crossing.
The bridge was built in 1999 to replace an older steel crossing with an innovative wooden design. This project marked a turning point in Finnish bridge engineering, redefining what was possible with timber construction.
Engineers selected wood as the primary construction material to showcase the region's connection to timber production and forest industries.
The bridge sits along Highway 5 and provides separate areas for motor vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists. Visitors can observe the structure from the road or from the designated pedestrian and cycling paths.
The crossing features three central spans of 42 meters each, connected by large-scale timber trusses, making it a rare example of modern timber engineering in Scandinavia. This solution demonstrates how traditional materials can work with contemporary engineering techniques.
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