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Rochefort-Martrou Transporter Bridge

General Information

Name in local language:	Pont transbordeur de Rochefort-Martrou
Beginning of works:	1898
Completion:	29 July 1900
Duration of works:	27 months
Status:	under renovation

Structure:	Suspension bridge
Function / usage:	Transporter bridge
Material:	Steel bridge pylon: steel pylon

Location:	Rochefort, Charente-Maritime (17), Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Crosses:	Charente River
Replaced by:	Martrou Lift Bridge (1966)
Coordinates:	45° 54' 58.00" N 0° 57' 40.00" W

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	main span	139.916 m
	total length	175 m
cabin	width	11.50 m
cabin	length	14 m
deck	deck width	8.00 m
deck	height above valley floor or water	50.00 m
pylons	height	66.25 m

cost of construction

French Franc 586 500

8 July 1900	First day of service.
1933 - 1934	Deck beams and suspension replaced and modified.
1967	End of service. The transporter bridge is abandoned in favor of a vertical lift bridge.
30 April 1976	Classified as historic monument.
1990 - 1994	Refurbished.

Initial construction (1898-1900)

Design

Contractor

Renovation (2015-2018)

Steel construction

Sigot, Jacques (2005): La France des Transbordeurs. Alan Sutton, France (France), pp. 208.
Deswarte, Sylvie / Lemoine, Bertrand (1997): L'architecture et les ingénieurs. Deux siècles de réalisations. Moniteur, Paris (France), pp. 139.
Lemoine, Bertrand (322): L'architecture du fer. France: XIXe siècle. Champ Vallon, Seyssel (France), pp. 124.
Montens, Serge (2001): Les plus beaux ponts de France. Bonneton, Paris (France), pp. 90-91.
Prade, Marcel (1988): Les ponts monuments historiques. Inventaire - description - histoire. Editions Brissaud, Poitiers (France), pp. 124-125.