Gottéron Bridge, Reinforced concrete arch bridge in Fribourg, Switzerland.
Gottéron Bridge is a reinforced concrete arch bridge 176 metres long, completed in 1960, carrying a road on two arches over the Gottéron valley just before the river meets the Sarine. It links the Fribourg district of Schönberg with the hamlet of Bürglen and is designed for a load of 45 tonnes.
In 1840 Joseph Chaley, who had just completed Fribourg's Grand Pont Suspendu, obtained permission to build a light suspension bridge over the Gottéron valley: 151 m long and 76 m above the river. A storm threatened it in 1895, and on 9 May 1919 an overloaded timber truck broke the deck and fell, killing the driver. The reinforced-concrete arch bridge by engineer Pierre Brasey was built in 18 months for 1,170,000 francs and blessed by the bishop on 29 June 1960; it is 176 m long and carries 45 tonnes.
The bridge serves as a daily connection between neighborhoods and has become part of the local identity. Residents use it regularly, and it marks an important passage in their everyday movement through the city.
The bridge is open to both vehicles and pedestrians, offering a straightforward crossing over the valley. It is busiest during commute hours, so calmer passage times are early morning or late afternoon.
Safety fencing on the bridge reaches 2.7 metres and curves inward at the top; it replaced 1.4-metre barriers that proved ineffective and cost 250,000 francs. The measure sharply reduced deliberate jumps, though some people still walked along the barriers for tens of metres before jumping.
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