Viaduc de la Chocolatière, Highway bridge in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Viaduc de la Chocolatière is a highway bridge that spans the Flon Valley and consists of two parallel structures supported by concrete arches. The construction connects the valley sides and forms a prominent part of the local landscape.
The bridge was built in two separate phases, with the right structure opening for a national exhibition in 1964 and the left structure completed nine years later. This staged expansion allowed the infrastructure to grow with regional traffic demands.
The bridge takes its name from a former mill that was transformed into a chocolate factory in this valley, shaping how locals refer to this corner of the city. The industrial past remains woven into the place's identity through its distinctive name.
The bridge is located on the A9 motorway between two highway junctions and can be viewed from various points in the surrounding area. For those wanting to see the structure more closely, the valley floor provides the most accessible viewing angles.
During construction, engineers developed a specialized steel reinforcement technique to improve the bond between steel and concrete, an unusual approach for its time. This innovation demonstrates the forward-thinking methods applied to the project.
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