pont de la drague, sion - 5th prize in the competion

client :

canton of valais

project :

new road bridge (multiple traffic types) over the river rhône

dates :

2022 competition

collaboration :

ingeni sa genève carouge

mobility

the new road layout created by this new bridge is of major importance. on the north-south axis, as it makes it possible to cross over three major "obstacles" - the railways, the motorway and the rhône. this is the major artery because it links the public transport hub (the swiss railway station - the bus station - the future plain-mountain link) with the left bank of the rhône, where the industrial area is located. in addition, this same artery, which runs along the rhône, is the location of the valais' largest cycle tourism trail (national route no. 1).

for the town of sion, the aim and future development plan is to improve the situation in terms of soft mobility. indeed, an the increase in soft mobility: bicycles, electric bikes, electric scooters, etc., is being encouraged, and above all, supported by public policies in order to reduce environmental impact and improve traffic flow within the town.

the provision of the cycle path and footpath to the east of the roadway, and the extension of this route along rue des champs de tabac as far as the station ensures that there is safe traffic flow with no dangerous crossings, and it promotes sustainable mobility.

this major thoroughfare could then be continued to the north of the station with the development (currently in the planning stage) of the avenue de la gare, providing a complete north-south crossing of the town for soft mobility.

flexibility

although the proposed cross section involves moving the cycle path all the way to the east of the road, the structure has been designed to allow flexibility in terms of lane location. if future projects require the road layout to be changed, this can be done without any major works.

structural design, durability and strength

the innovative structural design is based on the search for a system that is strong, efficient, easy to install, economical, sustainable and architecturally integrated into its surroundings.

in general, the tensioned sections of the structure are made of s355 self-levelling steel beams. this type of steel is 100% recyclable and ensures the metal's longevity without the need to use protective paints. steel beams can easily be produced in the workshop. in order to limit excessive use of materials, the cross-sections of the materials are optimised in line with the forces to be absorbed.

the deck and compressed parts of the structure are mainly made of c30/37 reinforced concrete. the concrete and the design of the construction details ensure the structure's long service life, while guaranteeing very good compressive strength, simple implementation and reasonable costs.

the design of the construction details incorporates strong elements that comply with the latest state of the art. the structure can be fully and easily inspected.

this design for installing beams with pre-cast slabs means that the work can be carried out quickly and with minimum impact. this reduces the environmental impact and the length of time that private property and the river rhône are affected, as well as reducing noise pollution for local residents.