Franco-Brazilian Binational Bridge
The Franco-Brazilian Binational Bridge spans the Oyapock River, linking the cities of Oiapoque in Amapá, Brazil and Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock in French Guiana, France. The bridge is cable-stayed, with two towers rising to a height of 83 metres (272 ft) and a length of 378 metres (1,240 ft). There are two lanes for vehicles with a total width of 9 metres (30 ft) and a pedestrian sidewalk with a width of 2.50 metres (8 ft 2 in). The vertical clearance under the bridge is 15 metres (49 ft).
Franco-Brazilian Binational Bridge | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 3°51′25″N 51°49′32″W |
| Carries | 2-lane wide highway |
| Crosses | Oyapock River |
| Locale | Border between Brazil and France |
| Official name | French: Pont binational franco-brésilien Portuguese: Ponte Binacional Franco-Brasileira |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed |
| Total length | 378 metres (1,240 ft) |
| Width | 9 metres (30 ft) |
| Clearance below | 15 metres (49 ft) |
| History | |
| Constructed by | EGESA and CMT (Consórcio Metropolitano de Transportes) |
| Opened | 20 March 2017 |
| Location | |
Its construction was completed in August 2011. However, due to delays in the construction of Brazilian checkpoint facilities, the bridge was not open to traffic for many years.
The inauguration ceremony of the bridge finally took place on 18 March 2017. Starting from 08:00 on 20 March 2017, the bridge has been open to members of the public.
The bridge is toll-free and is accessible to both private cars and pedestrians. On the French side, there is a border checkpoint staffed by three governmental agencies: the Border Police, Customs and the Directorate for Food, Agriculture and Forestry. The border checkpoint is open from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, and is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Brazilian public holidays.
Until the Brazilian border outposts are completed, only passenger vehicles (not cargo vehicles or public transportation vehicles) are permitted access. As the Brazilian side of the bridge is not staffed, travellers arriving in Brazil are required to stop at the offices of the Secretaria da Receita Federal do Brasil and the Federal Police in Oiapoque to regularise their entry.
With the bridge open to traffic, it is now possible to drive from Cayenne to Macapá, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amapá, although parts of the BR-156 federal highway on the Brazilian side are yet to be paved (of the 600 km (370 mi) between Oiapoque and Macapá, around 105 km (65 mi) has not yet been paved).