France’s ageing bridge problem highlighted

The recent fatal bridge disaster in the Italian city of Genoa has triggered questions being asked about the state of France’s bridges. And with around 33% of France’s 12,000 or so bridges now known to require repairs, there is an understandable cause for concern.
August 17, 2018 Read time: 1 min
The recent fatal bridge disaster in the Italian city of Genoa has triggered questions being asked about the state of France’s bridges. And with around 33% of France’s 12,000 or so bridges now known to require repairs, there is an understandable cause for concern.


The vast majority of French bridges in need of attention merely require comparatively small repairs or upgrades. But some 7% of the structures are suffering more serious problems and may have to be either completely rebuilt, or demolished and replaced. Meanwhile some construction industry figures in France believe that the proportion of bridges requiring attention could be significantly higher than the official figures as many structures have not been properly assessed.

France’s Transport Ministry is proposing a budget of €1 billion/year be used to repair the bridges in need of work. Without this spending, up to 6% of France’s existing bridges will have to be closed to traffic within 20 years.

Finance & Funding

Related Content

  • Purple haze – the exhaust debate
    May 25, 2016
    Following in the wake of the VW diesel engine emissions scandal, serious questions are finally being asked with regard to exhaust pollution. Car manufacturers have published data on the emissions from their vehicles for many years, but there has been a widespread scepticism as to how these figures have been achieved. The issue of claimed road vehicle exhaust emissions is a case of smoke and mirrors.
    Read More
  • Russia’s most expensive road project to commence
    January 15, 2019
    Construction work is being planned for Russia’s most expensive road, which will be built in south of the country – Eugene Gerden reports Work is due to commence shortly on Russia’s most expensive road, in the south of the country. The highway will form part of the existing 1,600km Moscow-Sochi road, according to recent statements from senior officials at the Russian Ministry of Transport as well as local analysts. As part of the project, the Russian Government, together with private investors, plans to
    Read More
  • Major Europe-Asia bridge connection in Turkey
    July 1, 2014
    The 3rd Bosporus Bridge and the Northern Marmara Motorway will improve transport links between Europe and Asia and cut chronic congestion in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city - Mike Woof reports Work is now well underway on the 3rd Bosporus Bridge and the Northern Marmara Motorway, providing a new link for Turkish city Istanbul and the region as a whole. This enormous bridge and highway project is breaking several records for Turkey in terms of scale, as well as setting a number of international records for e
    Read More
  • Messina Strait bridge study complete
    April 6, 2023
    The Messina Strait bridge study has been completed.
    Read More

Highlighted Content