Abetxuko Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abetxuko Bridge |
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Bridge view
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| Coordinates | 42°52′22″N 2°40′54″W / 42.8728°N 2.6817°W |
| Carries | Motor vehicles, tramway, pedestrians and bicycles |
| Crosses | Zadorra River |
| Locale | Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Basque Country, Spain |
| Maintained by | Vitoria Municipalily |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | truss bridge |
| Material | steel |
| Total length | 92 metres (302 ft) |
| Width | 31.4 metres (103 ft) |
| Longest span | 40 metres (130 ft) |
| Number of spans | 3 |
| History | |
| Designer | Pedelta Structural Engineers |
| Engineering design by | Juan Sobrino, Javier Jordan, Juan V. Tirado |
| Opened | 2006 |
The Abetxuko Bridge is a modern bridge in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. It crosses the Zadorra River. This bridge is special because of its unique design and how it helps people move around the city. It connects the Abetxuko neighborhood with the city center.
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About the Abetxuko Bridge
The Abetxuko Bridge is a steel bridge with a special design. It helps people travel easily between the Abetxuko area and the center of Vitoria. For many years, people in Abetxuko used an old, narrow bridge.
Why a New Bridge?
The old bridge was only 6-metre (20 ft) wide. It had just enough space for two lanes of traffic and a very small walkway for people. This made it risky for pedestrians because they were very close to cars.
The city council decided in 2005 that this danger needed to be fixed. Also, the old bridge wasn't good enough for the river's water flow. Building the new bridge was part of a bigger plan to make the area greener and improve connections.
What Does the Bridge Look Like?
The Abetxuko Bridge is made of three sections, called spans. Two of these spans are 26 metres (85 ft) long, and the main one is 40 metres (130 ft) long. The bridge is 31.4 metres (103 ft) wide in total.
It has four lanes for cars, a central line for the tram, and two walkways for people. The main parts of the bridge are two parallel structures called trusses. These trusses have unusual, curved shapes. They are also tilted slightly to make the bridge look more exciting.
Special Design Features
The designers wanted the bridge to look like a living piece of art. They used a special type of weathering steel. This steel changes color over time, just like some famous artworks by Basque artists Chillida and Oteiza.
The open spaces within the bridge's structure have different shapes. These shapes create interesting views and shadows throughout the day. This means the bridge changes its look as the sun moves.
The bridge cost about €2.7 million to build. This was only a little more expensive than a regular steel bridge of the same size.
Building the Bridge
Construction of the Abetxuko Bridge started in March 2006. It was finished by December of the same year.
See also
In Spanish: Puente de Abechuco para niños Juan Sobrino
