Deteriorated bridges in Essonne and Val-de-Marne, Digi Mart USA News (Essonne and Val-de-Marne, France): An audit reveals that several bridges in these departments require safety work, forcing municipalities to act despite limited budgets.
The Pont du Christ, built 123 years ago, is now classified as a public safety emergency. According to partial audit results leaked to the press by the Grand-Orly Seine Bièvre body, about ten other structures in Essonne and Val-de-Marne were also diagnosed as at risk.
In Viry-Châtillon, no fewer than four bridges and footbridges are in a state considered worrying.
“These are bad news in a context where we know that, with the finance law, municipalities are under pressure. For the town of Viry-Châtillon, 1.3 million must be found in the 2027 budget.
So it is very bad news. But there are safety obligations, so we have a duty to act,” said Jérôme Berenger, LR mayor of Viry-Châtillon.
Work on this bridge is expected to begin next spring.
In Athis-Mons, an expert assessment of this 1904 structure found a structural failure. This was no surprise to the local official, who had raised the alarm as early as 2022.
Heavy goods vehicles are prohibited from using the bridge.
“This is a salutary wake-up call, a collective awareness. In the Paris region, there are many structures like this one, bridges that need to be renovated.
Municipalities alone will never have the means to renovate these bridges. We need the support of state funders.
Here, it is a rail bridge over an SNCF line. SNCF must also take its responsibilities,” observed Jean-Jacques Grousseau, PS mayor of Athis-Mons.
Alternating traffic on this bridge could also be considered depending on the final audit results, which are expected.
