February 28, 2020 The Vernaison bridge, south of Lyon, is one of the structures most watched by the city's departments. - E. Frisullo / 20 Minutes

In November, the day after the collapse of the Mirepoix-sur-Tarn suspension bridge, which left two and five injured north of Toulouse, the metropolitan area of ​​Lyon indicated that the Vernaison bridge was one of the three most watched in the city. 'agglomeration. This Friday, it announced measures and the launch of work to secure this structure south of Lyon, which has had a 24-hour surveillance device since last spring.

"This system makes it possible to follow the slightest change in the health status indicators of the structure and to be alerted in real time to immediately take precautionary measures for the safety of users", recalls the city, which therefore decided go further.

As of Tuesday, March 3, the circulation of trucks over 3.5 tonnes will therefore be prohibited on the bridge, with the exception of public service vehicles and agricultural machinery. Prohibited vehicles must transit via Pierre-Bénite via the A7 and A450 motorways and the RD315. Information panels will be set up on the axes located upstream of the structure in the municipalities of Vernaison and Solaize, adds the city.

🚧 The Métropole de #Lyon monitors and maintains its bridges 🚧

The Vernaison bridge is one of the 709 works in the territory managed by the Metropolis. 112 sensors are installed there to monitor it in real time ⏬ pic.twitter.com/cqaoCi3k9G

- Métropole de Lyon (@grandlyon) September 28, 2018

A global envelope of 10.7 million euros

At the same time, work will be started the day before to improve the watertightness of the four anchor shroud chambers. This five-week project, aimed at ensuring the use of the bridge for as long as possible, should do little to disrupt automobile traffic.

In the event that this work is not sufficient, geotechnical surveys are carried out in the Rhône from a barge until mid-April, "in order to be able to anticipate sizing studies for a new structure (or emergency bridge)" add the services of the president of the metropolis of Lyon, David Kimelfeld. In January, the elected representatives of the metropolitan council voted an envelope of 10.75 million euros for the surveillance of the bridge, the conservatory works but also for the studies for a new work.

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