The longest cycle bridge in Europe

This large-scale project is part of the development of cycle paths in the Grand Duchy and will offer a unique experience to its users since it will be the longest aerial cycle bridge in Europe.

1.2km at 7.5m height

Over 2km, between Esch-Belval and Esch-sur-Alzette, the PC8 is divided into five sections. The first section, "PC", is a 530m cycle path and includes an underpass below the railway tracks on the ArcelorMittal site. The "Alley" section includes landscaping over an area of ​​approximately 1.2ha. The route continues via cyclist and pedestrian traffic which splits to accommodate ramps suitable for people with reduced mobility and leave cyclists on a constant slope. As part of the "Promenade" section, the ramps meet up to the centerpiece of the project, the footbridge. With a total length of 1,200m, a width of 4.50m and raised up to 7.5m, it also includes plots with an extra width of up to 8.50m to create spaces for users to rest.

Then heading to the " Schmeltz " section, with a running section framed by the steelworks site and the railway tracks, then towards the "Belval" part which takes cyclists to Avenue des Sidérurgistes and/or Avenue du Rock 'n' roll. Pedestrians will be able to use stairs or elevators to reach the district.

A little over six months after its launch, the site has settled on the an der Schmelz street, between the railway tracks of the CFL and the ArcelorMittal site, the old furnaces of the Belval site in the background.

For the moment, the route of the future cycle path can be guessed by its foundations which protrude from the ground. The majority of the work still consists in doing the foundations intended to accommodate the piles of the aerial part of the footbridge. In total, more than 500 piles, 9 to 13m deep, will be made for this project.

As the route is located on a sensitive site, our teams must be particularly vigilant when drilling, because the ground contains many technical galleries. Some piles had to be tilted to preserve the installations in place.

The first pile for the track was poured in early March. The concrete elements will be adorned with a wooden cladding and tinted with anthracite grey.

The piles of the cycle path, whose shape will recall that of a tree, will be made of steel. The structure will also be made of durable XCarb steel produced by ArcelorMittal.

Next step in just a few months for the inauguration of the PC8 by the minister for Mobility and Public works François Bausch... on a bicycle of course!