After years of construction and tons of metal lifted, the two Ramier footbridges, which connect the Island to both banks of the Garonneare completed. A look back at thesetwo architectural feats reserved for cyclists and pedestriansvia very distinct routes named Passerelle Rapas: Robert Poujade (left bank side) for one and Passerelle Empalot: Anita Conti (right bank side ) for the other.
A major construction site in Toulouse which is coming to an end
"700 tonnes of metal structures and reinforcements: it is heavier than two A380s empty.", Toulouse Town Hall
The latest operations aimed to coat them with a finishing coating, but the titanic project is finally finished. After years of work,the two footbridges on Ramier Island will be officially opened to the public on June 22. They will thus allow pedestrians and cyclists, separated by lanes to facilitate travel, to reach the two banks of the Garonne.
"The official opening of the Robert Poujade (Rapas) and Anita footbridges Conti (Empalot) will take place in the presence of Jean-Luc Moudenc, Mayor of Toulouse and President of Toulouse Métropole, Jonnhy Dunal and Jean-Paul Bouche, district mayors.", indicates the Toulouse town hall website, which reminds that this inauguration is open to all audiences.
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Handmade and finely studied constructions
"The Robert Poujade footbridge has a single pylon leaning slightly forward, while the Anita footbridge Conti has two pylons – one on each bank – placed in a vertical plane. This choice is mainly aesthetic.", Toulouse town hall
Forbidden to motor vehicles, these two monumental constructions of around a hundred meters are supported on foundations anchored on both banks of the Garonne and are also supported by cables (called stay cables), connected to one or more pylons, one 70 meters high hand-welded for the Robert Poujade footbridge. and two for the Anita Conti footbridge, which was built on either side of the banks, mirrored and therefore completed in the middle.
The cables were not placed at random, since without this vertical structure participating in the overall counterweight, the walkways would naturally bend downwards. And above all, "their height, which depends on the number of pylons, is important: the cables must be fixed high enough to have enough traction force", explains the town hall. And to add about these infrastructures weighing more than a hundred tonnes each: "At the base of the footbridges, the concrete supports are designed to resist damage in the event of flooding."
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Ile du Ramier, the green lung of the Pink City
These two new enormous footbridges built piece by piece aim to revitalize this district of Toulouse, in the process of becoming a real green lung. Indeed, in addition to this layout and. as part of the Grand Parc Garonne, the development of Ramier Island continues with a vast public garden, with games and vegetation, which should see the light of day by 2025.
And it is not completed since two other bridges of the same type will be installed after 2026 (one on the right bank, at the level of the Regional Council, one on the left bank, at the level of the Croix-de-Pierre district) in order to reduce the space for cars and offer Toulouse residents a peaceful and environmentally friendly living environment.
Also read: A hybrid and green living space to come in the Saint-Cyprien district in place of the Vion barracks