# Now THAT'S what I call an awesome bridge!!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 15, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957 "2004-12-15T12:54:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/1 "2004-12-15T12:54:45Z")
The French have just opened this bridge - the tallest in the world and by golly, it’s a good 'un!". They had to get an Englishman to design it though! Here are some pictures: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in\_pictures/4095037.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4095037.stm) I have to say I’m impressed with the cheese-eaters. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/2 "2004-12-15T13:05:57Z")
Spotted that on the Beeb yesterday. Looks very impressive rising out of the Mist. My first thought, though, was that i’d be anxious if I were on it. Fear of it collapsing or something. Quite a feat of engineering! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/3 "2004-12-15T13:06:44Z")
Gorgeous. They may be cheese-eating surrender monkeys, but they have excellent taste in bridges. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/4 "2004-12-15T13:07:21Z")
They did mention on the news that Chirac gave it up large for the French engineers (with much justification) but neglected to mention the very British Norman Foster… It’s bloody amazing though. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/5 "2004-12-15T13:10:02Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > They did mention on the news that Chirac gave it up large for the French engineers (with much justification) but neglected to mention the very British Norman Foster… Typical. Chirac is such a fucking jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/6 "2004-12-15T13:11:55Z")
I saw a view from the bridge on TV a while ago and it is so freaking high, I don’t know if I’d actually want to drive across it. Looks awesome, though. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/7 "2004-12-15T14:06:06Z")
My father lives in Nice, so next time I’m there I’ll try and check this thing out. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/8 "2004-12-15T14:14:19Z")
My wife and I are bridge fanatics - and are looking for a large Print of this particular beauty…if anyone knows of one for sale, please share! On a different note, have the French always been so gloriously proud of their landmarks? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/9 "2004-12-15T14:19:47Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > They did mention on the news that Chirac gave it up large for the French engineers (with much justification) but neglected to mention the very British Norman Foster… Don’t know which report that was, but the one I saw showed Chirac chatting away happily with Sir Norman. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/10 "2004-12-15T14:57:31Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > …but they have excellent taste in bridges. Also of note is the [Garabit Viaduct](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/garabit_viaduct.html), designed by Gustave Eiffel (before the tower), and for many years the highest bridge in the world. And Sir Norman Foster seems to be getting some plum commisions around Europe, he also designed the Millenium Bridge in London and the [dome](http://www.dangray.org/galleries/Berlin/thumb/img_0892-1-0.html) atop the Reichstag in Berlin. As for the new bridge; as an engineering exercise, it’s jaw-dropping, but aesthetically it doesn’t really do anything for me, yet. (I’d still like to see it in person.) I think cable-stayed bridges are too angular by nature, and there should be some sort of curve built into the supporting structure for contrast. (The new Zakim Bridge in Boston is a particular offender in this regard.) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/11 "2004-12-15T15:08:05Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Don’t know which report that was, but the one I saw showed Chirac chatting away happily with Sir Norman. Hmm, it was Sky News (a la Fox affiliate) referring speficially to the speech he gave at the ceremony, so I probably should have taken it with a pinch of salt. When it says it’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, I presume they mean to the top of the pillars. AFAIK, the Eiffel Tower is 300 metres tall, so what is the actual height of the road above the lowest point of the valley? ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/12 "2004-12-15T15:11:17Z")
I, too, want a large print of that thing to go up on my wall. That’s just beautiful. I wonder how long before any bungees off of it 😃 ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/13 "2004-12-15T15:18:33Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Hmm, it was Sky News (a la Fox affiliate) referring speficially to the speech he gave at the ceremony, so I probably should have taken it with a pinch of salt. > > When it says it’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, I presume they mean to the top of the pillars. AFAIK, the Eiffel Tower is 300 metres tall, so what is the actual height of the road above the lowest point of the valley? [http://www.bridgepros.com/projects/Millau\_Viaduct/](http://www.bridgepros.com/projects/Millau_Viaduct/) > [@](#): > > tallest will be 240 meters high. Overall height an outstanding 336.4 meters. and > [@](#): > > Height: 280 m Beats me. ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/14 "2004-12-15T15:21:09Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > When it says it’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, I presume they mean to the top of the pillars. AFAIK, the Eiffel Tower is 300 metres tall, so what is the actual height of the road above the lowest point of the valley? Nevermind, try [this](http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=58&story_id=8019). > [@](#): > > The road surface is 270 metres above ground, a world record, and the total structure, with suspension cables added will be 343 metres (1,132 feet) above ground at its highest point or 23 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/15 "2004-12-15T16:07:36Z")
The [New River Gorge bridge](http://www.nps.gov/neri/bridge.htm) in West Virginia, is about 1 foot shorter (at road surface) than the new bridge. It’s still a pretty cool bridge, if anyone is ever out that way. The new one is beautiful, but I’d sure worry about fog on that thing. Where, exactly, is it in France? I once drove with a friend from Geneva to Nice and we went via the Napoleon Road. I assume it’s in that vicinity somehwhere. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/16 "2004-12-15T16:32:34Z")
> [@](#): > > “The road surface is 270 metres above ground, a world record, and the total structure, with suspension cables added will be 343 metres (1,132 feet) above ground at its highest point or 23 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower.” I looked at this, and also looked up the height of Golden Gate Bridge which came out as 230m. Then I realized the 230m is the height to the _top of the tower_. The _road surface_ of the Millau Viaduct is 40 meters higher up than the _top_ of the Golden Gate Bridge towers. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/17 "2004-12-15T16:39:22Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > Also of note is the [Garabit Viaduct](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/wonder/structure/garabit_viaduct.html) . . . I dunno, viaduct? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/18 "2004-12-15T16:45:21Z")
You try to cross over there a chicken, and you’ll find out why a duck. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/19 "2004-12-15T18:48:55Z")
God, what a gorgeous and at the same time terrifying structure! My fear of heights would keep me from getting anywhere near it, but I can’t look away. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957/20 "2004-12-15T19:22:49Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Then I realized the 230m is the height to the _top of the tower_. The _road surface_ of the Millau Viaduct is 40 meters higher up than the _top_ of the Golden Gate Bridge towers. :eek: Jesus. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-thats-what-i-call-an-awesome-bridge/279957.md?page=2)