Adolphe Bridge

Adolphe Bridge
Coordinates	49°36′30″N 6°07′37″E / 49.6083°N 6.1270°E / 49.6083; 6.1270
Carries	Trams, road traffic and pedestrians (upper deck) Pedestrians and bicycles (lower deck)
Crosses	Pétrusse river
Locale	Luxembourg City
Official name	Pont Adolphe
Named for	Grand Duke Adolphe
Maintained by	Administration des ponts et chaussées
Characteristics
Design	Open spandrel deck arch bridge with suspended lower-deck
Total length	153 metres (502 ft)
Width	17.20 metres (56.4 ft)
Longest span	84.65 metres (277.7 ft)
Clearance below	42 metres (138 ft)
History
Construction start	14 July 1900
Construction end	24 July 1903
Opened	24 July 1903
Location

The Adolphe Bridge (Luxembourgish: Adolphe-Bréck, French: Pont Adolphe, German: Adolphe-Brücke) is a double-decked arch bridge in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The bridge provides a one-way route for road traffic across the Pétrusse, from Boulevard Royal, in Ville Haute, to Avenue de la Liberté, on the Bourbon Plateau in Gare. Its upper deck is 153 m in length and carries two lanes of road traffic, and two pedestrian footpaths. Its lower deck, opened in 2018, suspended beneath the upper deck, is 154 m in length, and carries a dedicated bidirectional bicycle path, with access provided for pedestrian use.^[1] As of 13 December 2020, following the completion of the second phase of the construction of the city's new tramline, the bridge carries bidirectional tram traffic on its upper deck.^[2]

The Adolphe Bridge has become an unofficial national symbol of sorts, representing Luxembourg's independence, and has become one of Luxembourg City's main tourist attractions. The bridge was designed by Paul Séjourné, a Frenchman, and Albert Rodange, a Luxembourger, and was built between 1900 and 1903. Its design was copied in the construction of Walnut Lane Bridge in Philadelphia, the United States.^[3]

The bridge was named after Grand Duke Adolphe, who reigned Luxembourg from 1890 until 1905, and was the first monarch to hold the title not in personal union with another. Although it is now over 100 years old, it is also known as the New Bridge (Luxembourgish: Nei Bréck, French: Nouveau pont, German: Neue Brücke) by people from Luxembourg City. The 'old bridge' in this comparison is the Passerelle, which was built between 1859 and 1861.