Could the weakened Sully bridge endanger the opening of the Olympics?

Navigation under the Sully bridge is still subject to significant restrictions. A situation that raises questions given that the Olympic parade scheduled for July 26 must pass underneath the building. According to Le Parisien, no expert is able to say how long this situation can last. For its part, the organizing committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Cojop) affirms that there is no reason to worry.

Since the collision on Wednesday January 31 of the cruise ship Le Diaman Bleu, cars have been prohibited from using the Sully bridge according to a decree issued by the city of Paris and the regional prefecture of Île-de-France. “The blue diamond struck the Sully bridge in the arm of the turret and damaged the central pass of the bridge,” the press release specifies. Following an initial assessment, only pedestrians are still authorized to use the westernmost sidewalk of the bridge.

“Since Thursday, February 1, only navigation in the upward direction has been open at pass no. 3 of the bridge. Boats less than 60 meters can use the Marie arm. Until further notice, other boats upstream of the bridge cannot pass and are invited to park,” announced the City.

For its part, Cojop maintains that there will be “no impact on the ceremony because the damage is on one side and there is no artistic show planned to date on this bridge”, it indicates. at the Parisian. The newspaper indicates that a report from the City which placed sensors concluded that there is “no progressive degradation of the structure”. The prefect has therefore since authorized the passage of long barges carrying goods every morning for an hour and a half under the struck arch. A situation which remains restrictive, particularly for grain traders who must use the bridge to reach the port of Rouen.

The incident also highlights an administrative complexity: the bridge belongs to the City of Paris but navigation on the river is subject to the authority of the regional prefect. A modeling of the bridge is planned by the regional prefecture to see how it can be restored. Paris City Hall has five months left to secure the work before the start of the Olympic Games.