Wadi el Kuf Bridge, Cable-stayed bridge in Al Bayda, Libya
The Wadi el Kuf Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge in Al Bayda that spans a deep valley in the Cyrenaica region. Two triangular pylons support the structure across the gorge, while the deck stretches 282 meters (925 feet) above the valley floor.
Construction started in 1967 following a design by Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi. Completion came in 1971 as part of a larger program to modernize the coastal highway.
The name comes from Wadi el Kuf, a dry riverbed that cuts through this region of Cyrenaica. For travelers, the bridge marks the transition between different coastal sections of eastern Libya.
Crossing offers views of the gorge and the surrounding Cyrenaica landscape. The best moment to grasp the proportions of the bridge is while driving across from the west.
The bridge uses prestressed concrete cables instead of metal stays, a technique Morandi developed to reduce vibrations. This solution was uncommon at the time and was later repeated in other projects by the architect.
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