en.Wedoany.com Reported - Upgrade works are underway on the Calix Viaduct in France. This viaduct, located in northern France and carrying the E46/N814 highway, spans the ship canal and the Orne River within the city of Caen. Built in the 1970s, it shows signs of wear due to carrying approximately 80,000 vehicles daily, prompting maintenance and upgrade efforts.
The renovation plan for this 1.2-kilometer-long viaduct is scheduled from 2026 to 2029. The first phase is expected to take about 15 months, with an investment of €22 million. The subsequent two phases will be carried out in 2028 and 2029 respectively, with a total project investment of approximately €40 million. The work will first replace guardrails and signage, followed by structural reinforcement. The final phase will involve waterproofing and pavement laying, as well as replacing expansion joints, adding water storage tanks, and sidewalks.
Like many reinforced concrete structures from the 1970s, this viaduct carries a traffic volume far exceeding its original design load and suffers from the technological limitations of that era. The structure has two lanes in each direction, with a total of 15 spans. The main span is 156 meters, providing a clearance height of 38 meters for vessels.
In 2021, the Calix Viaduct underwent repairs to address cracking in the caissons. At that time, vehicles over 3.5 tons were temporarily banned from crossing.
