Poya Bridge () is a

cable-stayed bridge A cable-stayed bridge has one or more ''towers'' (or ''pylons''), from which wire rope, cables support the bridge deck. A distinctive feature are the cables or wikt:stay#Etymology 3, stays, which run directly from the tower to the deck, norm ...

Fribourg or is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Canton of Fribourg, Fribourg and district of Sarine (district), La Sarine. Located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss Plateau, it is a major economic, adminis ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. The bridge is in overall length with a main span over the Sarine River, which is the longest main span in Switzerland. The bridge was built to remove traffic from the and adjacent neighborhoods and upon opening, on 12 October 2014, the Zaehringen Bridge was closed to most motor vehicles.

Planning and construction

Numerous studies have been made since 1959 for a new crossing of the Sarine River in Fribourg. In 1989, the local government invited five engineering firms to submit concept proposals for a new crossing. Plans for the new bridge were crafted in the 1990s and 2000s. Motivation for constructing the bridge was to remove a significant amount of vehicular traffic from the and surrounding Bourg quarter, Fribourg's historic center. The 25,000 vehicles per day took a significant toll on quality of life in the neighborhood and were degrading the

Fribourg Cathedral Fribourg Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Fribourg, Switzerland, built in the Gothic architecture, Gothic style, on a rocky outcrop 50 metres above the river Saane/Sarine, Sarine (Saane), dominating the medieval town below. It is the ...

, a symbol of the city. In June 2006, the

Grand Council of Fribourg The Grand Council of Fribourg () is the legislature of the canton of Fribourg, in Switzerland. Fribourg has a unicameral legislature. The Grand Council has 110 seats, with members elected every four years. References and notes External li ...

approved the project and scheduled a public vote to approve financing of the project. Three months later, financing of the Poya Bridge was approved by 81% of Fribourg voters. The contractor was a consortium of

Implenia Implenia is a Swiss real estate and construction services company with activities in development and civil engineering in Switzerland and Germany. Implenia is also active in tunneling and related infrastructure construction in Austria, France, S ...

Construction SA, Grisoni-Zaugg SA et Routes Modernes SA. Work began on 31 October 2008 and the bridge opened to vehicular traffic on 12 October 2014. The bridge cost 211 million

Swiss franc The Swiss franc, or simply the franc, is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is also legal tender in the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia which is surrounded by Swiss territory. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) iss ...

s. Upon opening, the Zaehringen Bridge was closed to most motor vehicles and now serves only emergency vehicles, public transportation buses, motorized scooters, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Characteristics

The main span of the bridge is in length—the longest in Switzerland—and positioned between two pylons of unequal height. The southeast pylon, on the bank of the Sarine River, rises above the river. The northwest pylon rises above its base, which is higher than the southeast pylon. The two pylons support a cable-stayed span. The remainder of the bridge is supported by ten

piers Piers may refer to: * Pier, a raised structure over a body of water * Pier (architecture), an architectural support * Piers (name), a given name and surname (including lists of people with the name) * Piers baronets, two titles, in the baronetages ...

. A cover on the northwest of the bridge leading to the tunnel entrance was added to reduce noise in the adjacent Palatinat quarter. The bridge deck carries three lanes of traffic—two leading towards the town center and one away from the town center—and a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. The bridge deck is inclined; the southeast end is approximately higher than the northwest end. The bridge deck is flanked by barriers to prevent

suicide attempt A suicide attempt is an act in which an individual tries to kill themselves but survives. Mental health professionals discourage describing suicide attempts as "failed" or "unsuccessful", as doing so may imply that a suicide resulting in death is ...

s. The northwest end of the bridge leads directly into a

cut-and-cover tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...

, known as the Poya Tunnel () and built at the same time as the bridge at a cost of 28 million francs. The tunnel travels beneath the Berne-Fribourg rail line and Palatinat Park. The pedestrian and cycling path diverges from the bridge and leads to the Bellevue and Palatinat quarters without entering the tunnel. The tunnel from the bridge intersects a short subterranean segment of Rue de Morat. The intersection is an underground

roundabout A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...

around a cone-shaped column. The speed limit is 60 km/h on the bridge and 50 km/h in the tunnel.

Notes

References

External links

* {{Authority control Bridges in Fribourg Cable-stayed bridges in Switzerland Road bridges in Switzerland Bridges completed in 2014 21st-century architecture in Switzerland