Zárate-Brazo Largo Bridge, Road-rail bridge in Entre Ríos, Argentina
The Zárate-Brazo Largo Bridge is a pair of cable-stayed spans crossing two branches of the Paraná River in eastern Argentina. Each section stretches 555 meters and rises roughly 50 meters above the water, allowing large vessels to pass underneath.
The complex opened in December 1977 and received its formal name Complejo Unión Nacional in 1995. In November 1996, a broken cable anchor prompted emergency repairs and temporary traffic limits for both rail and road users.
Named after two historic figures from the 19th century, the twin structures link the provinces of Buenos Aires and Entre Ríos. Travelers often pause near the approaches to watch boats pass beneath the spans or simply take in the wide river views.
The structure carries both National Route 12 and the General Urquiza Railway tracks across the Paraná branches. Pedestrians are not permitted on the roadway, but viewing areas along the riverbanks offer close perspectives of the spans.
The complex uses cable-stayed design with tall concrete pylons, a technique still relatively uncommon in South America during the 1970s. Because of the width of the river branches, engineers built two separate spans, each with its own foundation system.
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