“The laboratory analysis of the resistance of the metal cables, which date from 1934, led to the recommendation to close the structure to pedestrians and cyclists when the temperature drops below 5°C,” declared the department of Gironde, owner of the Rouergue bridge, after assessments by the Center for Studies and Expertise on Risks, Mobility and Development (CEREMA).
The structure, built in 1935 and completely restored in 1998, connects the two banks of the Réole, a town approximately 50 minutes from Bordeaux. The suspension bridge was already closed to car traffic since Friday August 13, 2021, but this time, the measure extends to all users.
A work schedule considered too long
This December 9, Bruno Marty, mayor of Réole, communicated with his constituents in the Official Journal, evoking a work schedule established with the department. A study phase is launched until 2025 and work will start in mid-2026. The local elected official welcomes the rehabilitation project but asks the community to make efforts to “reduce the provisional schedule in order to minimize inconvenience for the population”. It also calls for shuttles and an on-demand transport system that can be made available to users during closure periods. Negotiations should open with the Department.
The only certainty is that the Réolais risk spending a winter with their eyes glued to the thermometer.