Hercilio Luz Bridge, Steel suspension bridge in Florianópolis, Brazil
Hercilio Luz Bridge is an 821-meter steel suspension bridge in Florianópolis, formed of a 222.50-meter land approach, a 259.08-meter island approach and a 339.47-meter central suspended span. Its two lattice towers are 74.21 meters tall, and the deck sits 30.86 meters above sea level. The steel structure weighs about 5,000 tonnes and rests on piers and abutments built with 14,250 cubic meters of concrete.
The bridge opened on May 13, 1926, replacing the ferry service that had been the only way to reach Santa Catarina Island. Structural concerns closed it to traffic starting in 1982 until a comprehensive restoration allowed it to reopen in 2019.
The bridge's silhouette appears on the uniforms of a local football team and in films and soap operas set in Florianópolis. Musician Luís Henrique Rosa wrote a well-known song named after the bridge, and the samba school Embaixada Copa Lord released a samba about it in 2004. Markets, classic car shows and Christmas parades are held on and around the bridge, and fireworks are launched from it at New Year.
Cars may use the roadway only on weekdays; the bridge is closed to motor vehicles at weekends. Pedestrians and cyclists cross on the two walkways, the southern one added in the 2019 renovation, each widened by 2.5 metres where it meets the four main towers and the support cables.
The support structure uses an eyebar chain suspension system, a now-rare technique that makes this the largest surviving example of its kind worldwide. The design required specialty steel from the United States, shipped to Brazil specifically for this project.
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