The 210-metre long viaduct is a major engineering structure in the project to link the A89 and A6 motorways north-east of Lyon, completing the last 5.5 km section of highway that will soon provide a continuous motorway link between Bordeaux and Geneva.

Its innovative design features weathering steel beams which will provide the viaduct with natural protection and durability. The launch operation entailed sliding the deck horizontally on the structure already erected by means of a pulley and winch system.
The average rate of progress was between 5 and 10 metres an hour, enabling the first pile at a distance of some 40 metres to be reached by the end of the day.

Seven other deck launching operations are soon to be conducted to bridge the Semanet valley (Rhône). The viaduct is due for completion by June this year.

Largest earthwork operation in France
With more than a million cubic metres of soil to be moved, the earthwork operation being carried out in the area is one of the most massive conducted in France. In addition to constructing the viaduct, teams from the Infrastructures division are building an interchange on the A6 motorway and a new section of motorway, as well as bringing the RN489 and RN7 highways into line with motorway standards.

Several large roundabouts are also being built, along with a vast rainwater collecting system to safeguard the environment.

Ending the bottleneck
On the local level, the works representing a 146 million euro investment will put an end to a bottleneck – generated by 37,000 cars currently using the existing two-way road every day – and will reduce the adverse effects suffered by nearby residents.

It is expected that about 55,000 vehicles will eventually use this eagerly-awaited stretch of highway.

APRR gave the go-ahead for the construction of this motorway link section in April 2016. Its commissioning is scheduled for February 2018.