Houphouët-Boigny Bridge, Road and rail bridge in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
The Houphouët-Boigny Bridge is a road and rail structure crossing the Ébrié Lagoon in Abidjan, built from concrete with a design that supports both vehicle and train traffic. The construction consists of eight main spans that carry the upper roadway and the lower rail tracks in hollow sections.
Construction began in 1954 and the bridge opened in 1957, replacing a 290-metre floating bridge finished in 1951 that carried both road and rail but became slippery in rain and sagged under trains. It is named after Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Rehabilitation work began on 6 April 2018 with a budget of 41.7 billion CFA francs.
The bridge links different neighborhoods of Abidjan and serves as a daily passage for residents moving between the lagoon shores. People cross it on foot, by car, or by train, making it a central part of how the city functions.
The bridge is open daily for vehicles, pedestrians, and train passengers, connecting two major parts of the city. Visitors should be aware that the upper level carries road traffic while trains use the lower sections, and congestion can be heavy during peak times.
The bridge's floating predecessor, completed in 1951, was 290 m long with a timber deck and cycle tracks about 2 m wide on each side, separated from traffic by a low wall. It turned slippery in rain, cars fell into the lagoon, and trains made it sink almost to the water. After the ferry Anoumabo capsized on 18 December 1930 killing 50 people, this pontoon bridge was built from 1931.
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