Viaduc de Saint-Paul, Road bridge in Saint-Paul, Réunion Island, France.
The Viaduc de Saint-Paul is a road bridge that spans 756 meters across the landscape, supported by substantial concrete pillars. The structure carries traffic over the terrain between different parts of the town.
Construction of the viaduct began in November 2005 and it was inaugurated on 20 May 2009 by Paul Vergès, then president of the regional council. Built as the northern entrance to the Route des Tamarins from the Saint-Paul coastal road, it replaced the winding ramps of Plateau Caillou as the only link to that hillside district. The works cost 83.2 million euros.
The viaduct connects the town center of Saint-Paul with the residential area of Plateau Caillou, replacing an older winding mountain road. It has become a key part of daily life for people traveling between these neighborhoods.
The viaduct carries a 2 x 3 lane roadway on a 6% gradient, so it is a motor-traffic structure with no pedestrian or cyclist provision. It forms the northern entrance to the route des Tamarins from the route digue at Saint-Paul and ends in a 150-metre covered trench. Drivers reach it from the chaussée Royale in the town centre or from Plateau Caillou.
The viaduct ends in a 150-metre covered trench, and the cliff face was rebuilt above it to hide the structure. Its 69 deep barrettes foundations reach 20 to 30 metres below ground.
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