Viaduc de la jonction, Railway bridge at confluence of Rhône and Arve rivers, Switzerland
The Viaduc de la Jonction is a 218-metre railway bridge in Geneva, 25 metres high and the largest bridge in the city. Its three parabolic three-hinged concrete arches, faced with ashlar stone, span the Rhône, the Arve and the left-bank foreland; tall piers with round arches carry the deck. A steel-railed footbridge runs along the eastern side at track level.
Built between 1941 and 1945 to link Cornavin station with the Acacias free ports and La Praille marshalling yard, the viaduct was designed by the SBB bridge office with architect Arthur Lozeron and built by Conrad Zschokke AG. The railway line opened in 1949. Renewed in 2016 and 2017 with a wider deck, it now carries the CEVA line and Léman Express.
The name La Jonction comes from the French for "the junction", referring to the meeting of the Rhône and Arve. The neighbourhood occupies the triangular strip of land between the two rivers, which narrows to a point just upstream of the viaduct. The footbridge, renewed in 2017 with the help of the Stop Suicide association, carries a section of the cross-border Green Route from Geneva to Annemasse.
The footpath on the bridge allows visitors to walk between the riverbanks and view the merging waters. Access is open and free, with the path passable throughout the year, though caution is advised during wet conditions.
The footbridge was rebuilt in 2017 with input from the association Stop Suicide, which secured the passage. It carries a section of the cross-border Green Route from Geneva to Annemasse, so walkers and cyclists share the crossing with the rails.
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