Pont Gustave-Flaubert, Vertical-lift bridge in Rouen, France.
The Pont Gustave-Flaubert is a vertical-lift bridge in Rouen that spans 670 meters across the Seine River, resting on four massive concrete towers. These pylons rise 86 meters above the water surface and support the twin moveable roadways.
Construction began in June 2004 and the bridge opened on 25 September 2008. The design team included the engineering firm Arcadis NV and the consultancy Eurodim, while the lifting machinery was designed by Aymeric Zublena, one of the architects of the Stade de France, and Michel Virlogeux, designer of the Pont de Normandie and the Millau Viaduct. The structure was chosen so that large vessels could still reach the Port of Rouen upstream, since such ships pass only 20 to 30 times a year.
The bridge is named after Gustave Flaubert, the novelist born in Rouen in 1821. On 15 December 2006 the city council chose the name after consulting residents, who picked Flaubert over René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. Until then it was known as the "sixth bridge".
The twin roadways can rise together to 55 meters (180 feet) above the water to allow tall ships to pass beneath. This movement occurs roughly thirty times a year, mainly for cruise ships and large cargo vessels.
Around 50,000 vehicles cross this structure daily, using the two lanes in each direction. The concrete construction is among the few modern lift bridges in Europe that can move two complete roadway decks simultaneously.
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