César Gaviria Trujillo Viaduct, Cable-stayed bridge in Pereira, Colombia.
The César Gaviria Trujillo Viaduct is a cable-stayed bridge linking Pereira and Dosquebradas across the Otún River valley. Its total length with access modules is 704 metres, with a 440-metre cable-stayed section and a 211-metre main span. Two concrete pylons, 96 and 105 metres tall, support the deck 55 metres above the river; the deck is 24 metres wide.
Construction took three years and was completed in 1997 by a consortium of the Brazilian firm Andrade Gutierrez and the German Walter Bau AG, with steel fabricated in Venezuela by Industrias Metalúrgicas Van Dam. Twelve workers died during the works. The viaduct was inaugurated on 19 November 1997 and named after Pereira-born César Gaviria Trujillo, president of Colombia from 1990 to 1994. The 1999 earthquake caused serious damage and forced repairs months later.
Named after César Gaviria Trujillo, the former Colombian president who held office from 1990 to 1994 and was born in Pereira, the bridge carries his legacy. Locals cross it daily on their way to work or shopping, using it as a link between the city and the neighboring municipality.
The bridge features protective barriers along the edges, installed in 2008 to improve safety. Vehicles of all sizes use the four traffic lanes, which remain accessible throughout the day.
The two concrete pylons differ in height: 96 m and 105 m, with the deck 55 m above the Otún River. The steel structure, weighing 2,758 tonnes including 177 tonnes of stay cables, was fabricated in Venezuela by Industrias Metalúrgicas Van Dam. Twelve workers died during the three-year construction.
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