View source for Plougastel Bridge

{{Expand French|Pont Albert-Louppe|date=September 2012|topic=struct}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name      = Plougastel Bridge
| native_name      = Pont Albert-Louppe
| native_name_lang = fr
| image            = Pont-albert-louppe.jpg
| image_size       = 
| alt              = 
| caption          = 
| official_name    = 
| other_name       = 
| carries          = 
| crosses          = L'Élorn
| locale           = 
| owner            = 
| maint            = 
| id               =
| website          =
| architect        = [[Eugène Freyssinet]]
| designer         = 
| engineering      = 
| design           = Arch bridge fixed at two levels
| material         = Reinforced concrete
| length           = 888m
| width            = 9m
| height           = 27.5m
| mainspan         = 
| spans            = 
| pierswater       = 
| load             = 
| clearance        = 
| below            = 
| life             = 
| builder          = Direction départementale de l'Équipement du Finistère
| fabricator       = Entreprises Limousin
| begin            = 1926
| complete         = 1930
| cost             = 
| open             = 
| inaugurated      = 1930
| toll             = 
| traffic          = 
| preceded         = 
| followed         = 
| heritage         = 
| collapsed        = 
| closed           =
| replaces         =
| map_cue          = 
| map_image        = 
| map_alt          = 
| map_text         = 
| map_width        = 
| coordinates      = {{Coord|48|23|14|N|4|23|59|W|type:landmark_region:FR|display=it}}
| lat              = 
| long             = 
| references       = 
| extra            = 
}}

The '''Plougastel Bridge''', or '''Albert-Louppe Bridge''', is a [[bridge]] over the river [[Élorn]] near [[Brest, France|Brest]], [[France]], connecting [[Plougastel-Daoulas]] and [[Le Relecq-Kerhuon]].

Construction on the Plougastel Bridge started in 1926 and was completed on 9 October 1930.  Part of it was destroyed by the [[Germany|German]] army in 1944, and shortly after was closed for repair. It was reopened after the widening and construction five years later.  Between 1991 and 1994 another bridge, the [[Pont de l'Iroise]], was built parallel to this bridge.  Today the Plougastel carries tractor, pedestrian and bicycle traffic and is a landmark on the route of the [[Paris–Brest–Paris]] bicycle event.

The Plougastel Bridge is an [[arch bridge]], or has a fixed, [[double deck structure]]. The arches are composed of concrete and have a total length of around 888m. The three major spans are 188 m<ref>{{Structurae|id=20000056|title=Plougastel Bridge}}</ref> but sometimes said to be 186 m.<ref>{{Brueckenweb | id = 201 | title = Pont de l'Harteloire}}</ref>

The engineer who constructed the bridge was named [[Eugène Freyssinet]], and the president of the committee managing the project was [[Albert Louppe]], an explosives engineer who pursued a parallel career in politics, becoming the [[Senate (France)|Senator]] for [[Finistère]] in 1921. Louppe died in 1927, one year after work on constructing the bridge finally began.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://alain.liscoet.pagesperso-orange.fr/ptplouan.htm Plougastel Bridge]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Deck arch bridges]]
[[Category:Bridges in France]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Finistère]]
[[Category:Transport in Brittany]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1930]]
[[Category:Concrete bridges]]
[[Category:Double-decker bridges]]


{{France-bridge-struct-stub}}