Betancourt Bridge, Cable-stayed bridge in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Betancourt Bridge crosses the Malaya Neva and Zhdanovka Rivers, linking Decembrists Island and Petrovsky Island with a central span. Its curved form comes from two pylons that hold cables and give the construction an S-shaped profile.
The opening took place in May 2018 as part of expanding the traffic network between the islands. The name honors Augustín de Betancourt, a Spanish engineer from the 19th century who founded the Institute of Transport Engineers in Saint Petersburg.
Today the structure serves cyclists, pedestrians, and skateboarders who find their own area underneath the roadway. This combination of traffic routes and recreational space creates a place where people meet in everyday life and view the city from new angles.
The crossing works for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians who each use separate lanes. Observation points along the route offer views of the surrounding rivers and islands, especially in daylight when the structures and water surfaces are clearly visible.
The pylons rise about 70 meters (230 feet) and carry an asymmetric web of cables that cast changing shadows on the surface in different light conditions. This arrangement allows the curved alignment without support pillars in the water, so ships can pass freely.
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