Pont Raymond Barre, Tram bridge in Confluence district, France

The Pont Raymond-Barre is a 260-metre bow-string bridge over the Rhône in Lyon, linking the southern edge of Confluence with Gerland. Designed by architect Alain Spielmann, it has a 150-metre central span flanked by spans of 72 and 38 metres, with two arches leaning toward each other above a flat steel deck. Trams, pedestrians and cyclists cross its 17.50-metre width.

Construction started in November 2011 and finished in September 2013 as part of the T1 tram line extension project. The project created a direct link between two districts that were previously separated.

The bridge is named after a former Lyon mayor and shows how the city has modernized its infrastructure. It connects two neighborhoods with different purposes: one focused on cultural institutions and the other serving as a transit hub.

The deck is 17.50 metres wide and carries the T1 tram alongside pedestrians and cyclists between the Confluence bank and Gerland. The two river piers each stand on 28 piles driven 18 metres into the rocky bed. The bridge sits downstream of the Pont Pasteur, linking the Confluence side to the Debourg metro station.

The steel deck was assembled at a specialized port and then transported by barges down the river to the construction site. This unusual delivery method allowed the massive structure to be positioned into place without major disruptions.