Laguna Garzón Bridge

The Laguna Garzón Bridge is a bridge crossing the Laguna Garzón in Uruguay, on the border between the Maldonado and Rocha departments. The bridge is famous for its unusual circular shape and was designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly.[2][3][1] It is designed in a circular shape to force drivers to slow down, and allows for pedestrian access along the one-way circular route, including crosswalks that allow pedestrian access to either the inner or outer sidewalks of the circle.[4]

Laguna Garzón Bridge
Laguna Garzón Bridge
Coordinates34.8024°S 54.5721°W / -34.8024; -54.5721
Carries2 lanes of roadway (1 either side of circle), pedestrians and bicycles
CrossesGarzón lagoon
LocaleConnecting Rocha Department and Maldonado Department.
Official nameLaguna Garzón Bridge
Characteristics
MaterialSteel, Concrete
History
DesignerRafael Viñoly
Construction startSeptember 2014
Opened22 December 2015 (2015-12-22)[1]
Location

Laguna Garzón was previously served by a small 2-vehicle ferry that required daylight and good weather to operate. The bridge replaced the ferry in December 2015, providing a crossing for pedestrians and up to approximately 1,000 vehicles a day.[5]

Construction

Construction for the Laguna Garzón Bridge began in September 2014 and ended in December 2015.[1] It cost $10 million to build, 80 percent of which was provided by Argentine real estate developer, Eduardo Costantini.[5] To build the bridge, 450 tons of steel, 500 cubic metres of concrete, and 40,000 metres of cables were used.[5]

  • Detail of pedestrian crossings to sidewalks on the outer and inner circle
    Detail of pedestrian crossings to sidewalks on the outer and inner circle
  • Positioning of bridge and approaches within the Laguna Garzón
    Positioning of bridge and approaches within the Laguna Garzón

References
  1. "The long-awaited Laguna Garzon Bridge is set up - Consultatio Real Estate". Consultatio Real Estate. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  2. Weller, Chris (25 January 2016). "This circular bridge in Uruguay was built for 2 very specific reasons". Business Insider.
  3. Lubin, Rhian. "Can you guess why architects built a road bridge circular instead of straight?". Mirror. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  4. Huffington Post (27 January 2016). "This Circular Bridge Encourages Drivers To Slow Down And Take In The View". National Sun Times. Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016. ...Each half circle on the bridge acts as a one-way street ... drivers will have to slow down to cross, ...
  5. "Circular bridge by Rafael Viñoly spans Uruguay lagoon". Dezeen. 19 January 2016.
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