- Title: FRANCE: NEW BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER SEINE
- Date: 7th August 1996
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 7, 1996)(RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV OF CHARLES DE GAULLE BRIDGE 0.50 2. SCU PLAQUE 0.09 3. GV SECTIONS OF BRIDGE SHOWING DESIGN (3 SHOTS) 0.25 4. LV ACROSS LENGTH OF BRIDGE 0.31 5. GV RIVER REFLECTED ON BASE OF BRIDGE 0.36 6. SLV POLICE BOAT ON RIVER 0.39 7. SMV ARTIST PASCAL MOSCOVITZ POURING PAINT ON CANVAS STRETCHED OUT ON BRIDGE ROADWAY/ BRUSHING IN PAINT (4 SHOTS) 1.01 8. LV VEHICLES BEGIN TO CROSS THE BRIDGE AND PASS OVER PAINTED CANVAS LEAVING TYRE TRACKS ON FRESH CANVAS (3 SHOTS) 1.24 9. SCU PEDESTRIANS WALK OVER CANVAS LEAVING FOOTPRINTS 1.40 10.MV ARTIST UNTAPES CANVAS FROM ROAD (2 SHOTS) 1.57 11.LV BARRIERS AT END OF BRIDGE BEING DISMANTLED/ STACKED ON LORRIES 2.02 12. LV PEDESTRIANS WALK ACROSS BRIDGE FOR FIRST TIME (2 SHOTS) 2.13 13. SCU ROAD MARKINGS BEING PAINTED ON ROAD (2 SHOTS) 2.26 14. LV FIRST CARS CROSS BRIDGE AFTER ITS OFFICIAL OPENING 2.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 22nd August 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City:
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVAE6E4MR6S7LBVNSMAWFS0CX4LJ
- Story Text: INTRO: A new bridge has opened over the river Seine in Paris, leaving the local people largely unimpressed. Nicknamed "the bridge to nowhere", the sleek newcomer, which was designed to ease traffic, became involved in a severe rush-hour traffic jam.
The opening of the new Pont Charles-de-Gaulle over the river Seine in central Paris was marred on Thursday (August 5) when protesting bank workers blocked the bridge, triggering a huge rush-hour traffic jam.
Opponents of the costly bridge argue it is not connected to any major roads on either side of the Seine, unlike more famous spans, and leads to nowhere.
Shaped like the wing of an aircraft, it was conceived a decade ago to ease traffic between two Paris railway stations, the Gare de Lyon and the Gare d'Austerlitz.
But shortly after it opened a demonstration by bank workers caused traffic disruption and the bridge became blocked.
It cost 240 million francs (48 million United States dollars) to build, according to city hall but 750 million francs (150 million U.S. dollars), according to the opposition Socialists.
The 207-metre (225-yard) bridge is the 36th to span the Seine.
It is the first to be built in Paris for a quarter of a century and, according to city hall officials, it will probably be the last.
French President Jacques Chirac gave the go ahead for the building of the bridge when he was Mayor of Paris in 1986.
Architects Louis Aretche and Roman Karanski both died before completion of the bridge which has special lanes for cyclists and a huge pedestrian walkway.
Artist Pascal Mocovitz asked car drivers and pedestrians to drive and walk across wet paint and then back again on an barren canvas to leave tyre marks and foot imprints to commemorate the opening.
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