Baluarte Bridge

From HighestBridges.com
Revision as of 20:10, 2 June 2010 by Sakowski (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigationJump to search

Baluarte Bridge
Puente Baluarte
El Palmito, Sinaloa, Mexico
1,280 feet high / 390 meters high
1,706 foot span / 520 meter span
2012

BaluarteBlendPlateFinal1850.jpg


When it opens in 2012, the Baluarte River Bridge will not only be the highest bridge in North America but the highest cable stayed bridge in the world surpassing the Millau Viaduct in France. It is the crown jewel of the greatest bridge and tunnel highway project ever undertaken in North America. Known as the Durango-Mazatlán highway, it will be the only crossing for more than 500 miles (800 km) between the pacific coast and the interior of Mexico. The path of this new highway roughly parallels the famous “Devil’s Backbone”, a narrow road that earned its nickname from the way it follows the precarious ridge crest of the jagged peaks of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. The dangerous road is a seemingly endless onslaught of twisting, terrifying turns that are so tight there are times the road nearly spirals back into itself.

By cutting a safer, more direct route through the mountains, the highway department of Mexico hopes to improve trade and increase tourism between the city of Durango and the coastal city of Mazatlán. To achieve this connection, the Mexican engineers were forced to design an autopista with no less than 63 tunnels - nearly 10 times more than have ever been built on any road in North America. For big bridge fans, the highway is no less amazing with a parade of towering concrete beam bridges. Including Baluarte, there will be 8 bridges that exceed 300 feet (90 mtrs) in height including Santa Lucia, Neverías, La Pinta, Chico, Botijas, Pueblo Nuevo and El Carrizo. Only China’s West Hurong and Kunming-Guiyang and Italy’s A3 highways have a greater collection of high bridges.

Forming the border between Sinaloa and Durango states, the Baluarte River is the most formidable obstacle on the route with a gorge more than a quarter mile in height. To cross it, the Mexican engineers decided to go with a cable stayed bridge. It would allow the construction to proceed outward from a single tower on either side of the canyon, avoiding the difficult and expensive construction of temporary false work. Once completed, the final height of 1,280 feet (390 mtrs) will make it the second highest roadway bridge on earth. It will also have the longest span of any cable stayed bridge in North America at 1,706 feet (520 mtrs), exceeding the John James Audubon bridge in St. Francisville, Louisiana by 123 feet (37 mtrs).

When it is completed, the Baluarte crossing will be more than just a preeminent bridge but a signal to its bigger neighbor to the North that Mexico can design and build bridges with the same skill and perfection as the best of them. As a stretch of North American pavement without parallel, the Durango-Mazatlán highway will become a proud, prominent symbol of Mexico’s civil engineering skills for decades to come.

BaluarteFinalElevWTowerSpacesjpg.jpg

Baluarte Bridge Elevation


BaluarteBridge13.jpg

The rock wall face of the Durango side can be seen in this view from the Sinaloa side. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge31.jpg

Another view looking east from the Sinaloa side showing the arrangement of piers or "pilas". Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


El Baluarte ..-1.jpg

Baluarte Bridge aerial image by Tradeco.


BaluarteAerial2.jpg

Baluarte Bridge aerial.


BaluarteModel.jpg

Baluarte Bridge model.


BaluarteEmpireElev.jpg

Baluarte Bridge and Empire State Building size comparison. The drawing also shows the location of underground test borings to check the geology of the rock. Each square is 33 feet high or the equivalent of a 3-story apartment building. Puente Baluarte y el Empire State comparación Creación de tamañoground agujeros pruebas. Cada plaza es de 10 metros o el tamaño de un apartamento de 3 pisos edificio.


BaluarteBridge.jpg

Pier 5 will be the tallest of all with a height of 554 feet (169 mtrs). The main span will be the longest of any cable stayed bridge in North America at 1,706 feet (520 mtrs). Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge6.jpg

On the Durango side, Piers 3 and 4 rise in the foreground with the help of a dense lattice of scaffolding. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge7.jpg

Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge20.jpg

On the right workers tie rebar high above the foundation of pier 2. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


PuenteBaluarteFound.jpg

The foundations are very deep for Baluarte to ensure the piers will always be stable.


BaluarteBridge4.jpg

A view of pier 3. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge16.jpg

Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge3.jpg

A huge hole was dug for pier 8 which has one of the deepest foundations of the bridge. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge5.jpg

On the western end of the Sinaloa side, workers hang high above pier 11. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge11.jpg

Another view of pier 8. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge12.jpg

The V-shaped support of the shorter main tower on the Sinaloa side takes shape high up on the edge of the gorge. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge10.jpg

Temporary office and work buildings surround the base of the main tower on the Durango side. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge22.jpg

Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge23.jpg

The western approach spans on the Sinaloa side cross a canyon more than 400 feet (122 mtrs) deep. If listed as a separate bridge, it would rank among Mexico's 10 highest bridges. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge26.jpg

Looking down to the bottom of the 400 foot (122 mtr) deep canyon and piers 8 and 9. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge32.jpg

A view of pier 10 on the Sinaloa side. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge24.jpg

A clean rock face marks the spot where the Durango side tunnel will punch through the mountain. Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


BaluarteBridge30.jpg

Image by Grupo Triada / Owner SCT


2Baluarte.JPG

An early construction view before the piers had risen above the ground. Image by Tradeco


4BaluarteBridge.JPG


5Baluarte9,10,11,12.jpg

Early construction view of piers 9,10,11 and 12.


BaluarteAerial.jpg

Baluarte Bridge aerial.


BaluarteModel2.jpg

Baluarte Bridge model.


BaluarteModel3.jpg

Baluarte Bridge model.


BaluarteModel4.jpg

Baluarte Bridge model.


10BaluarteBridgeModel.jpg

Baluarte Bridge model.


BaluarteModelCalderon.jpg

Baluarte Bridge model and President Calderon.


11BaluarteMap.jpg

Map of Durango-Mazatlan Highway route and the Baluarte River bridge location.


12BaluartePuenteDevilsBackboneMap.jpg

Topographic Image of the original Devil's Backbone road.


13Baluarte.jpg

Satellite image of Baluarte bridge location.


DurMazTunnels.jpg

Map of the Durango-Mazatlan highway showing the location of the 9 highest bridges and 59 of the 63 tunnels. The Neverías, La Pinta and Rio Chico bridges were completed between 2005 and 2008 and are open to traffic. The rest of the highway will open in 2012.


DurMazTunnelsListing.jpg

The central 44 mile (70 km) stretch of highway will have more than 11 miles (18 kms) of tunnels! The most tunneled U.S. highway - The Pennsylvania Turnpike - has only 4 miles.


BaluarteRoyalGorge.jpg

Royal Gorge and Baluarte Bridge size comparison


BaluarteHooverComparison.jpg

Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman and Baluarte Bridge size comparison