Sarens was in charge to support Eiffage in the lifting of 12 bridge sections during the project, 4 sections of the main mast and 8 more sections of the bridge.
On the left bank, the "Rapas" footbridge crosses the Garonne river over a main span of 150 metres, a width of 5 metres and a height of 70 metres above the water.
Since July 2022, the “Rapas” footbridge in Toulouse has been taking shape under construction. After a bit of delay, delivery was scheduled for june. According to the city council, Toulouse Métropole, the inauguration took place on June 22nd.
Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, was in charge to support Eiffage in the lifting of bridge sections during the project. On the left bank, the "Rapas" footbridge crosses the Garonne river over a main span of 150 metres, a width of 5 metres and a height of 70 metres above the water. This will probably become one of the highest points in the city.
The main mast of 65m was divided in 4 sections and the rest sections, 8 more, were lifted partly from the river side with a CC2500 crane and partly from the river's surface using a crane on barge (SMB, Sarens Modular Barge). The biggest bridge section was 51 tons with measures of 1.225 m - 17.2m – 6.5m (H-W-L) and the biggest mast section weighed 62 tons with measures of 3.89 m – 18.44 m – 3.8 m. The eight 12-metre sections were welded together to complete the path.
The footbridge is a metal structure with concrete supports and ramps. After the installation of the tower head, which rises 65 metres above the Garonne, the deck sections were gradually assembled above the river and guided from the island to the top of the embankment on the Avenue de Muret side. Once assembly was complete, and after a technical inspection phase, the work to connect it to the public spaces and open it to pedestrians and cyclists is the last phase of the work. The pylon head of this long straight structure, with no supports, can now be seen on the Ile du Ramier.
The complete equipment at the site had to be installed for 10 months and consisted of a CC2500 (Crawler Crane) and a SSL114m (Sarens Super Lift), a Sennebogen SH35.5m, two SMB’s - one 12x20” and one 12x40”- and 3 electrical chain blocks 20t cap and 8 strand jacks to secure the bridge mast during the erection before to install final main mast shrouds.
All was transported from Belgium to Toulouse by trucks, in total 23 trucks for the crane CC2500 and 26 trucks for the barge SMB’s were needed. The CC2500 took 4 days to be installed and the SMB required 10 days.
In one side of Ile du Ramier, the "Rapas" footbridge provide access to the former Exhibition Centre area, where one of Toulouse's largest esplanades is located, as well as to the Fer à Cheval district, the Avenue de Muret tramway and the cycle network on the embankment. It is accessible only to pedestrians and cyclists, like the Empalot footbridge on the other side of the island.
The “aerieal” pedestrian bridge has a single mast, reversing the V-shaped design found on all Toulouse bridges. The absence of any support in the river will ensure maximum respect for the Garonne's ecological corridor and its biodiversity, and guarantee a high level of reliability with regard to flooding.
Through the Grand Parc Garonne project, Toulouse Métropole is seeking to radically transform the Ile du Ramier, previously occupied by the old Exhibition Centre and numerous car parks, to make it the future 'green lung' of the Pink City.
Over the past few years, Sarens has established itself as a strategic player in similar projects. Recently the company has completed several major projects, including the installation of the OA14 bridge, weighing 5,850 tons, in Bettembourg (Luxembourg). Sarens has installed another pedestrian bridge between the Hazebrouck railway station (France) and its car park and an 8,400 ton railway bridge on the A1 motorway in Amsterdam (Netherlands). The company also replaced a railway bridge in Stockholm‘s (Sweden) city centre using the "floatover" method. Its very last bridge project took place in Dieppe, in the north-west of France, where they lifted and transported the century-old Colbert Bridge, classified as a historic monument, for a renovation that will leave it as good as new after 135 years.
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With more than 100 entities in 66 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/