Ch5 20:00 Milau Bridge

[Muncher]

On now, Superstructures, the massive Milau bridge in France.

[Muncher]

Should be spelt Millau but I didn't have time to check.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Tis a scary begger to drive over! Fantastic though.

[D-Angle]

I remember when this was first finished, and was stunned to hear it cost something like £30m to build. If they had built it here they wouldn't have got any change out of £1bn.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

D-Angle said:

I remember when this was first finished, and was stunned to hear it cost something like £30m to build. If they had built it here they wouldn't have got any change out of £1bn.

...and then the transport costs on top to get it to France!

[puggit]

wikipedia said:

The bridge's construction costs amount to €394 million, with a toll plaza 6 km north of the viaduct costing an additional €20 million. The builders, Eiffage, financed the construction in return for a concession to collect the tolls for 75 years, until 2080. However, if the concession is very profitable, the French government can assume control of the bridge in 2044.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_viaduct

[s2rr Kitty]

Thanks for that heads up - S2 owners are doing a run there in June

[Muncher]

£272m it apparently cost to build.

[puggit]

s2rr Kitty said:

Thanks for that heads up - S2 owners are doing a run there in June

We'll have sold it by then and Mrs Puggit will be about to drop

too

[police state]

You have to give it to the french, when they see a GENUINE need, they see it as an opportunity to build a statement, they just do it for... the pride of their nation, something that will be a testament to their ideals of 'people first'

when 'we' do it, it is rarely a genuine need, (Millenium Dome anyone?), and is usually done for profit, 'contracters & consultants' first...

It is a beautiful bridge, and seeing it for the first time in the dead of a full lunar summers night is something I will always remember and a the moment to cherish.

When I saw the Dome for the first time, I nearly cried;

...with apathy

[ZR1cliff]

A fantastic engineering feat,they used GPS to build the worlds tallest supports to project to the exact point in the sky.

[puggit]

police state said:

You have to give it to the french, when they see a GENUINE need, they see it as an opportunity to build a statement, they just do it for... the pride of their nation, something that will be a testament to their ideals of 'people first'

to the French!

[Fortjefferson]

This bridge you mean.

My mate Tony and his son.

[s2rr Kitty]

I had to look at that photo twice to get the perspective!! - I thought it was a fence at first

Pug: congrats -

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Fascinating programme that.

[julianhj]

I'm really very tempted to go down there at some point. Looks stunning. Would want to do the drive in a decent car though, take advantage of all those autoroutes!

[spaximus]

Fantastic programe apart from the dumb voice over guy telling over and over how it could have been a disastor. The French do things right with projects like this and are rightly proud of them, the other bridge near LeHarve, I forget its name, is huge and driving across in a Westfield is a real buzz, this must be fantastic.
It was no surprise to me it was on budget, the Laing GTM consortium who did the second severn crossing was a French English how and was on time and budget, and is an equally beautiful structure.

[catso]

D-Angle said:

I remember when this was first finished, and was stunned to hear it cost something like £30m to build. If they had built it here they wouldn't have got any change out of £1bn.

And it wouldn't be finished yet......

[hornet]

puggit said:

police state said: You have to give it to the french, when they see a GENUINE need, they see it as an opportunity to build a statement, they just do it for... the pride of their nation, something that will be a testament to their ideals of 'people first' to the French!

Just don't let them build airport terminals.

Amazing bridge. Would make a very interesting bungy jump...