A rail bridge with a record-breaking 145m span has been launched this week in northern France in a US$52 million replacement project.

SNCF Réseau, the body responsible for the French rail network, is working with Eiffage Génie Civil, NGE Génie Civil and Eiffage Métal on the project on the Northern Paris rail corridor, which is one of the busiest in Europe.

The new rail bridge at Saint-Denis. Credit: Eiffage.

The Pont des Cathédrales is a Warren-type railway crossing with a framework weighing 1,800t. It’s 145m span is the longest in Europe for this type of structure. The long span minimises disruption during the installation operation because it reduces the need for abutments between the tracks.

The new structure is named for the nearby locomotive workshops at Saint-Denis which were nicknamed cathédrales du rail. It will be in use towards the end of the summer.