Mohammed VI Bridge Size report
The Mohammed VI Bridge started construction in October 2010 and opened to traffic in July 2016. It is the first modern cable-stayed bridge built in the Kingdom of Morocco and even the African continent. It is also the longest cable-stayed bridge built on the African continent. King Mohammed VI of Morocco named the bridge after himself at the opening ceremony.
Before the bridge's construction, all population movements, trade, and tourist routes between the north and south of the Kingdom of Morocco had to pass through the No. 2 road that runs through the capital Rabat. It not only overwhelmed the transportation system in Rabat, seriously affecting the normal life of citizens in the city, but also hindered the development of Morocco.
The bridge not only helps alleviate the traffic congestion in the Moroccan capital Rabat and the Sale district but also creates economic benefits for these two places. This post will introduce more details about the incredible size and design of Mohammed VI Bridges.
Descrption of the Mohammed VI Bridge Size
The cable-stayed bridge over the Bouregreg valley is the first cable-stayed bridge in Morocco, built by China Railway Bridge Group Co., Ltd. It is a key project of the Rabat Ring Road, the capital of Morocco. Its shape has typical Arabic architectural features, and the traditional Moroccan Arched door inspires the design of the main bridge towers. The most notable feature of this bridge is a three-dimensional curvilinear spindle-shaped main tower and a "п"-shaped concrete side girder structure. The bridge uses 12,000 tons of steel bars, 59,550 square meters of concrete, 3,000 tons of steel beams and anchor boxes, and 1.42 million meters of steel strands.
Dimensions of the Mohammed VI Bridge
The Mohammed VI Bridge spans the Bouregreg valley, with a total length of 950 meters and a width of 30 meters. It has a main span of 376 meters, making it the largest cable-stayed bridge in Africa, and the side spans measure 183 meters each. Its bridge tower measures about 200 meters high; 160 stay cables on both sides of the bridge, with an average length of 127 meters.
Quick Facts | Size |
---|---|
Total Length | 950 m (3,120 ft) |
Width | 30 m (98 ft) |
Longest Span | 376 m (1,234 ft) |
Tower Height | 200 m (660 ft) |
Clearance Below | 100 m (330 ft) |
Final Words
The Mohammed VI Bridge, which cost about 3.2 billion dirhams, has become a new landmark in Morocco. Illuminated by lights at night, it can show up to 16 million color changes, making the bridge a unique local landscape. The completion of the Mohammed VI Bridge has opened Rabat's expressway around the city so vehicles traveling from north to south can avoid passing the urban area. China has not only built the largest cable-stayed bridge for Morocco but also trained a group of engineers and skilled workers, which has significantly improved the local bridge construction level.