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Highest Bridge in the World Nearing Completion

Posted by michael on from the don't-look-down dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A weekend cookie for all engineering geeks out here. The central span of the Millau bridge (270 meters or 886 ft) has been completed!" The photo is awesome.

25 of 425 comments (clear)

  1. Two Words by toygeek · · Score: 4, Funny

    Base Jump!

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    Nobodies Prefect
    Tidbits for Techs Technology Blog
  2. Lowest Bidder by TheOldFart · · Score: 4, Funny

    Are these the same people who built the new terminal at Charles De Gaulle?

    1. Re:Lowest Bidder by rilister · · Score: 5, Informative

      no, but the architect is Sir Norman Foster of Foster and Partners, responsible for the Millenium Footbridge in London that had to be closed after it was found to be dangerous... ...I'll follow you over...

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      'This writing business. Pencils and what-not. Over-rated if you ask me. Silly stuff. Nothing in it' - Eeyore
    2. Re:Lowest Bidder by misterpies · · Score: 5, Informative


      Double inaccuracy... first of all, the millenium bridge was by Lord Foster, not Sir Foster (if you think such details are irrelevant, try talking about Congressman Kerry and Prime Minister Bush). And secondly, it was never found to be dangerous. It was closed temporarily when it was found to sway several feet from side to side under heavy foot traffic due to an unforeseen resonance at around the frequency of human walking. (Frankly, this was the falt of the engineers more than the architect.) This was fixed by adding a few dampers and now it's perfectly steady.

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      The author of this post asserts his moral rights.
  3. Pylons... by th1ckasabr1ck · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wonder how wide those pylons are? They look like they are a decent width, but of course it's tough to tell with that perspective.

  4. try this website by werdnapk · · Score: 5, Informative
    The posted site seems to be /.'ed already, try this one out instead.

    That sure is some bridge, but must be a real eyesore to those who have to live near it.

    1. Re:try this website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I drove through Millau a few weeks ago, and it is one mother-hubbard of a bridge. I didn't know it was the tallest. Millau is a really bad bottleneck and the existing road is strangled by the lorries which must use it.

      Yes it does rather look "stuck-on" to the scenery. I'm not sure why they couldn't just build a by-pass folowing the contours rather than the whopping bridge. That's my tax money paying for that.

  5. Re:What's the use? by PHP+Wolf · · Score: 5, Funny
    What's the use of having a bridge that is that high? Just seems like a serious waste of resources just for bragging rights.

    They get serious flooding in that valley.

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    Double Compile

  6. Er... why? by FFFish · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why did they build this bridge? That looks like a perfectly nice valley down there, easy to push a road through, and at 1/100th the cost and no where near the danger.

    Is this a penis boast ("I've got the biggest bridge!"), an environment issue ("No automobiles in this valley!"), an ownership issue, what??

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    1. Re:Er... why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      They built it because every summer thousands of cars get stuck in Millau while traveling from north to south.

    2. Re:Er... why? by Chairboy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Because the german army hates to march up and down hills, of course.

    3. Re:Er... why? by bobbyque · · Score: 5, Interesting

      For the same reason people build smokestacks...to lift pollution out of a valley. That's the Rhone Valley down there: "Millau's 20,000 residents can also breathe easier--literally--since the bridge opening will put an end to decades of environmental damage caused by the endless lines of vehicles and traffic jams." (http://www.pobonline.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/c overstory/BNPCoverStoryItem/0,2340,108886,00.html)

    4. Re:Er... why? by k98sven · · Score: 5, Funny

      But doesn't it seem more fitting to computer geeks if the road to Béziers is curved?

    5. Re:Er... why? by ElGanzoLoco · · Score: 5, Informative

      IIRC, a LOT of trucks take that road every year, so building a road around Millau still solves just part of the problem: it will be a lot easier and faster for everyone to just take a straight line rather than going down in the valley, through the valley, and up again. IIRC, they claim the trips will be 1 to 2 hours shorter thanks to the bridge -that's less time on the road, therefore safer overall, less pollution etc...

      This is an entirely private project, the french govt didn't want to pay for it. That's bad for the drivers though, who will have to pay a lot of money to cross the bridge.

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      Hello! I'm a disaster waiting to happen!
  7. Re:Timmmmmberrrr... by fluce · · Score: 5, Informative

    Well, in fact, they are the same folks... 2E airport terminal was built by Vinci and Eiffage. Millau viaduc is built by Eiffage alone.

  8. Funding? by PHP+Wolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    There's probably a sign before you drive onto the bridge that reads: "World's tallest bridge! World's highest toll!"

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    Double Compile

    1. Re:Funding? by ThisIsFred · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well at least you get to see a unique engineering masterpiece for your money. Think of what you get to see for a $2 toll on the Jersey Turnpike. And what's worse when the trip is over, you're in New Jersey.

      --
      Fred

      "A fool and his freedom are soon parted"
      -RMS
  9. My favorite part by bobbabemagnet · · Score: 4, Insightful

    From the project site: "As a truly emblematic signature of the town whose name it carries, it will, just by its very existence, lead to economic and cultural growth."

    Is it just me, or does completely bypassing a town actually hurt its economic and cultural growth?

  10. Is it a draw bridge? by pergamon · · Score: 4, Funny

    I mean, did they even bother to future-proof this thing so that when we reach the age of 300m high boats that it won't have to be torn down?

  11. Re:Star Wars... by carlos_benj · · Score: 4, Funny

    So now the US Navy pilots have a slalom course in Europe. Sweet!

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    As a matter of fact, I am a lawyer. But I play an actor on TV.

  12. It's quite a sight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I've been at Milau last summer, and I must say that bridge is quite spectacular, also the way it was built. During the dozen days I was there, you could see the daily progress they made as the cranes moved and the whole bridge was pushed across the pillars little by little. Amazing bridgebuilding technology, really.

    And maybe it's not evident from the pictures, but the bridge does make some sense when you look at the landscape close-up.

    And it's really big. Standing under the pillars makes it look very, very intimidating.

  13. Re:How do they get the ends to meet? by King_Pickle · · Score: 5, Informative

    The road will have two lanes (3.50m each) on each side and will run at about 270m above the river Tarn. The Millau Viaduct will not be straight. A straight road could induce a sensation of floating for drivers. A slight curve will remedy that. The curve will be of 20km in range. Moreover, the road will have a light hill of 3% to improve the visibility and reassure the driver. A 3m wide emergency lane will bring increased security. It will, in particular, prevent drivers from seeing the valley from the viaduct. As the bridge will be exposed to winds of up to 151km/h, side screens will reduce the effects of the wind by 50%. The speed of the wind at the level of the road will therefore reflect to speed of the wind found at ground level around Larzac and Sauveterre.

    From http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/mil lau_viaduct/

  14. Check out bridge day by The+Tyro · · Score: 4, Interesting

    at the New River Gorge bridge in West Virginia, USA. It's legal to jump off that bridge exactly one day per year (known, appropriately enough, as bridge day). It's not a bad way to introduce yourself to base jumping legally... jail time sucks.

    Incidently, it's only ten feet shorter than the bridge mentioned in the article (but has a much smaller landing area... people jumping the New River Gorge bridge should have good canopy control skills... it might be tough for a rookie parachutist). The only more-difficult famous base jump landing I know of is Angel Falls... there's a tiny clearing in the jungle you have to hit, or you're in the trees.

    I got invited to do my first base jump when I was a low-time skydiver (only had 13 jumps under my belt) it involved breaking-and-entering, climbing an antenna at night, jumping from said antenna, and avoiding the guy wires... needless to say, I declined. I like adrenaline as much as the next guy, but there's something to be said for living to jump another day...

    Jump smart... you'll live longer.

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    Even if a man chops off your hand with a sword, you still have two nice, sharp bones to stick in his eyes.
  15. Re:Biggest/Tallest/Most/Best Terror Targets by fiannaFailMan · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Are we looking at yet another awe inspiring structure to be on a terrorists list of possible targets?
    Quite right. Let's stop building bridges, tall buildings (the Pentagon wasn't tall, but hey) and other big things that might be hit by terrorists. In fact let's just stay indoors, lock the door and don't move.
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    Drill baby drill - on Mars
  16. Re:Biggest/Tallest/Most/Best Terror Targets by dumdeedum · · Score: 4, Funny
    In fact let's just stay indoors, lock the door and don't move.
    Your rhetoric has no power on Slashdot.