Rochefort-Martrou Transporter Bridge
 Rochefort-Martrou Transporter Bridge seen from the south bank of the Charente river | |
| Coordinates | 45°54′58″N 0°57′38″W / 45.916131°N 0.960628°WCoordinates: 45°54′58″N 0°57′38″W / 45.916131°N 0.960628°W |
| Crosses | Charente |
| Locale | Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France |
| Official name | Rochefort-Martrou Transporter Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 175 metres (574 ft) |
| Longest span | 139.95 metres (459.2 ft) |
| Clearance below | 50 metres (160 ft) |
| History | |
| Opened | 8 July 1900 |
Rochefort-Martrou Transporter Bridge is a transporter bridge built between 1898 and 1900 . It is located in Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France. Crossing the Charente River, it has a maximum height of 66.5 metres (218 ft) and a total length of 175.5 metres (576 ft). It is a technical invention accomplished by a French engineer : Ferdinand Arnodin. It was abandoned in 1967 in favour of a vertical lift bridge, which was in in turn demolished in 1991 a few months after the opening of a new dual-carriageway road bridge, the Martrou viaduct. However, the transporter bridge was refurbished by 1994 and is now a historical monument (1976). Crossing on foot or a bicycle is still possible today from April to the end of October.
External links
Media related to Rochefort-Martrou Transporter Bridge at Wikimedia Commons