Mission accomplished: on Friday evening, the new railway bridge for the Luxembourg-Bettembourg connection successfully completed its journey across the A3 motorway.
It is one of the largest 'bow-string' type bridges in Europe and its installation will be completed according to schedule before the end of the year. Last night, the busiest of Luxembourg's motorways was thus shut down between the Gasperich and Bettembourg intersections to allow workers to slide the massive structure across the road towards its final destination.
© Domingos Oliveira / RTL
The Bridges and Roads Authority will use the opportunity of the operation to also enlarge the motorway from two to three lanes on each side and complete maintenance work.
The A3 was closed in the direction of Luxembourg City at 8pm last night and will remain shut until 6am on Monday. Both slip roads leading to the Bettembourg and Livange interchanges will also be closed. Two hours later, the opposing direction was also shut with traffic being redirected via the A13, A4, and A6 motorways.
Access to the Shell and Aral petrol stations at the Aire de Berchem will also be blocked.
© Administration des Ponts et chaussées
5,850 metric tonnes lifted by hydraulic presses
Entitled 'OA 14', the bridge measures 200 metres in length and 18.5 metres in width. The arch itself reaches 40 metres at its highest point. Though still lacking its concrete foundation, the impressive structure already weighs 5,850 metric tonnes.
With the help of hydraulic presses, the bridge was progressively shifted for about 30 centimetres each day. Specialised vehicles will later help install the structure in its final position. A veritable tour de force over the future six-lane motorway that national railway company CFL expects to complete in less than two hours. The bridge will then hang 5 metres above the road.
