Dossier:
Bridges

Pont de l'Archevêché

In 1827, the toll concession was granted for a set of three bridges yet to be built; the Pont des Invalides, the Pont d'Arcole and the Pont de l'Archevêché. The latter was built in record time between April and November 1828 under the supervision of the engineer PLOUARD. It comprises three stone arches and owes its name to the Archbishop's palace situated near Notre Dame, but which no longer exists.Despite some restoration work in 1857, the problems experienced by river traffic owing to the narrow span of the arches and the correspondingly high number of accidents obliged the administration to opt for reconstruction of the work in 1910, raising its width from 11 to 20 m, in order to improve traffic conditions. The decision was not however followed up and one could be forgiven for wondering whether the disaster of 27th September 1911 might not have been avoided. A bus swerved, went through the parapet and fell into the Seine, leaving eleven dead and nine injured. Simply a few emergency measures were then taken to improve traffic safety, including replacement of the cast iron parapet by a stronger stone one. On several occasions, replacement of the bridge by a new single-span structure was discussed, in particular as part of a project to widen the left-bank branch of the Seine.
So far, only vault consolidation work has been planned.

Designers

PLOUARD, Engineer

 
Contractor

Compagnie des trois anciens ponts

Construction date

1828

Total length
67.20 m

Usable width
11 m; 7 m roadway; two pavements of 2 m.

Construction principles