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66-537: At the site chosen for the bridge, the Orinoco is three kilometres wide with two navigation channels separated by a small island that is revealed during the low-water season. The average discharge of the river here varies between 66 000 m³/s and 85 000 m³/s, flowing at up to 2.6 m/s and with a seasonal variation in level of 12.5 m. The crossing is composed of approximately 4.5 km of structures and carries four lanes of road traffic separated into two carriageways by

132-489: A "finance law" ( French : Loi des Finances ), which is equivalent to an appropriation bill . Each minister must prepare a list of requests for funds annually, and submit it to the Budget Ministry. This ministry decides whether to grant or deny requests for funding by ministers. The ministry also calculates the state budget for the coming year. The parliament must vote on all applications of finance law. Members of

198-600: A bridge closed to pedestrians, a run took place in 2004, and another on 13 May 2007: Government of France The Government of France ( French : Gouvernement français , pronounced [ɡuvɛʁnəmɑ̃ fʁɑ̃sɛ] ), officially the Government of the French Republic ( Gouvernement de la République française , [ɡuvɛʁnəmɑ̃ də la ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz] ), exercises executive power in France . It

264-462: A coating of petroleum wax, and an extruded polyethylene sheath). The exterior envelope of the stays is itself coated along its entire length with a double helical weatherstrip. The idea is to avoid running water which, in high winds, could cause vibration in the stays and compromise the stability of the viaduct. The stays were installed by the Freyssinet company. To allow for deformations of

330-599: A government, the prime minister nominee must propose a list of ministers to the president. The president can either accept or reject these proposed ministers. Ministers are ranked by importance: According to the Constitution of the French Fifth Republic , the government directs and decides the policy of the nation. In practice, the government writes bills to be introduced to parliament, and also writes and issues decrees . All political decisions made by

396-590: A post. The government is responsible to the French Parliament. In particular, the government must assume responsibility for its actions before the National Assembly, and the National Assembly can dismiss the government with a motion of censure . The government cannot function during the tenure of acting (interim) president, as that position is granted either to the president of the Senate or

462-455: A road bridge to span the river and gorge valley. The first plans for a bridge were discussed in 1987 by CETE , and by October 1991 the decision was made to build a high crossing of the Tarn by a structure of around 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) in length. During 1993–1994, the government consulted with seven architects and eight structural engineers . During 1995–1996, a second definition study

528-498: A set format. In the first part of a meeting, the Council deliberates over general interest bills, ordinances, and decrees. In the second part, the Council discusses individual decisions by each minister regarding the appointment of senior civil servants . In the third part, usually, either one minister will give a presentation about some reform or project that they are directing, or the president will ask for advice on some subject from

594-498: A single railway track in the centre. It consists of two cable stayed navigation spans each of 300 m with a south approach 1320 m long composed of 22 60 m spans and a north approach of 636 m composed of ten 60 m spans and one of 36 m. The two navigation spans have a clearance of 41 m above water level and are supported by four 120 m tall H-shaped pylons via two planes of cable stays. Unusually, these spans do not lead directly into each other as at other multi-span cable stayed bridges such as

660-740: Is Orinoco powerline crossing , whose pylons are the tallest man-made structures in South America today. Millau Viaduct The Millau Viaduct ( French : Viaduc de Millau , IPA: [vja.dyk də mi.jo] ) is a multispan cable-stayed bridge completed in 2004 across the gorge valley of the Tarn near (west of) Millau in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie Region, in Southern France . The design team

726-453: Is composed of the prime minister , who is the head of government , as well as both senior and junior ministers . The Council of Ministers, the main executive organ of the government, was established in the Constitution in 1958. Its members meet weekly at the Élysée Palace in Paris . The meetings are presided over by the president of France , the head of state , although the officeholder

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792-489: Is direct and without tolls for the 340 kilometres (210 mi) between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers, except for the bridge. The Eiffage group, which constructed the Viaduct also operates it, under a government contract, which allows the company to collect tolls for up to 75 years. As of 2018, the toll bridge costs €8.30 for light automobiles (or €10.40 during the peak season of 15 June to 15 September). Each of

858-399: Is done effectively and efficiently. All ministerial cabinet decisions must be co-signed by the prime minister. Any decree must also seek the prime minister's advice as well. The government is responsible for the economic and financial policy of the French Republic, must authorize all expenditures made by each ministry, and also manage all revenue. Expenditures are made through what is called

924-714: Is inside the perimeter of the Grands Causses regional natural park. The Millau Viaduct forms the last link of the existing A75 autoroute (known as "la Méridienne"), from Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers . The A75, with the A10 and A71, provides a continuous high-speed route south from Paris through Clermont-Ferrand to the Languedoc region, thence to Spain , considerably reducing the cost and time of vehicle traffic travelling along this route. Many tourists heading to southern France and Spain follow this route because it

990-412: Is not a member of the government. The government's most senior ministers are titled as ministers of state ( ministres d'État ), followed in protocol order by ministers ( ministres ), ministers delegate ( ministres délégués ), whereas junior ministers are titled as secretaries of state ( secrétaires d'État ). All members of the government, who are appointed by the president following the recommendation of

1056-526: Is situated at each side of the toll plaza. The total cost was €20 million . The rest area of Brocuéjouls, named Aire du Viaduc de Millau , is situated just north of the viaduct, and is centred on an old farm building named 'Ferme de Brocuéjouls'. It was inaugurated by the prefect of Aveyron , Chantal Jourdan, on 30 June 2006, after 7 months of works. The farm and its surroundings can accommodate entertainment and tourism promotion activities. The cost of this work amounted to €5.8 million : Unusually for

1122-439: Is supported by four concrete pilings. Each piling is 15 metres (49 ft) deep and 5 metres (16 ft) in diameter, assuring the stability of the pylons. At the top of the pilings a large footing was poured, 3–5 metres (10–16 ft) in thickness,to reinforce the strength of the pilings. The 2,000 cubic metres (2,600 cu yd) of concrete necessary for the footings was poured at the same time as pilings. In March 2002,

1188-532: Is transmitted by an Ethernet network to a computer in the IT room at the management building situated near the toll plaza . The toll plaza is on the A75 autoroute ; the bridge toll booths and the buildings for the commercial and technical management teams are situated 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of the viaduct. The toll plaza is protected by a canopy in the shape of a leaf, formed from tendrilled concrete , using

1254-507: The Millau Viaduct , but are anchored at a fixed point on the mid-stream island. The bridge was built to complement the existing Angostura Bridge and to provide a more direct connection with the important industrial city of Ciudad Guayana. In particular, it was intended to provide for a future rail connection to allow the city's heavy industrial products to be transported to the ports of Venezuela's Caribbean coast. River transport on

1320-409: The Tarn valley were causing congestion, especially in the summer due to holiday traffic on the route from Paris to Spain . A method of bypassing Millau had long been considered, not only to ease the flow and reduce journey times for long-distance traffic, but also to improve the quality of access to Millau for its local businesses and residents. One of the solutions considered was the construction of

1386-467: The ceracem process . Consisting of 53 elements ( voussoirs ), the canopy is 100 metres (330 ft) long and 28 metres (92 ft) wide. It weighs around 2,500 tonnes (2,500 long tons ; 2,800 short tons ). The toll plaza can accommodate sixteen lanes of traffic, eight in each direction. At times of low traffic volume , the central booth is capable of servicing vehicles in both directions. A car park and viewing station, equipped with public toilets,

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1452-489: The president of the Council of Ministers ( French : président du Conseil des ministres ) during the Third and Fourth Republics . All bills and some decrees must be approved by the Council of Ministers. Furthermore, it is the Council of Ministers that defines the collective political and policy direction of the government, and takes practical steps to implement that direction. In addition to writing and implementing policy,

1518-546: The Beipan River. In 2012, Mexico's Baluarte Bridge surpassed Millau as the world's highest cable-stayed bridge. The Royal Gorge suspension bridge in the U.S. state of Colorado is also higher, with a bridge deck approximately 291 metres (955 ft) over the Arkansas River . The Millau Viaduct is on the territory of the communes of Millau and Creissels , France, in the département of Aveyron . Before

1584-460: The French government cannot occupy any parliamentary office or position of occupational or trade leadership at the national level, any public employment, or any professional activity. These restrictions are in place to alleviate external pressure and influence on ministers, and to enable them to focus on their governmental work. Thus, a member of the National Assembly or the Senate who is appointed to

1650-481: The Ministry of Public Works, the low solution was abandoned because it would have intersected the water table , had a negative impact on the town, cost more, and lengthened the driving distance. The choice of the 'high' solution was decided by ministerial decree on 29 October 1991. After the choice of the high viaduct, five teams of architects and researchers worked on a technical solution. The concept and design for

1716-407: The Orinoco includes oceangoing ships, but because of its high sediment load the Orinoco has to be constantly dredged. In addition the crossing strengthens transport links between Venezuela and Brazil to the south which is important for Brazilian exports. This was one reason why President Lula da Silva of Brazil attended the inauguration together with Venezuela's Hugo Chávez . Near the bridge, there

1782-501: The assistance of a multidisciplinary commission, the Administration of Roads selected eight structural engineers for a technical study, and seven architects for the architectural study. Simultaneously, a school of international experts representing a wide spectrum of expertise (technical, architectural, and landscape), chaired by Jean-François Coste, was established to clarify the choices that had to be made. In February 1995, on

1848-438: The base of pylon P2. Being the tallest of all, it is therefore under the most intense stress . These sensors detect movements on the order of a micrometre . Other extensometers, electrical this time, are distributed on top of P2 and P7. This apparatus is capable of taking up to 100 readings per second. In high winds, they continuously monitor the reactions of the Viaduct to extreme conditions. Accelerometers placed strategically on

1914-441: The basis of proposals of the architects and structural engineers, and with support of the school of experts, five general designs were identified. The competition was relaunched: five combinations of architects and structural engineers, drawn from the best candidates of the first phase, were formed; each was to conduct in-depth studies of one of the general designs. On 15 July 1996, Bernard Pons , minister of Public Works, announced

1980-576: The bridge was constructed, traffic had to descend into the Tarn valley and pass along the route nationale N9 near the town of Millau, causing much traffic congestion at the beginning and end of the July and August holiday season . The bridge now traverses the Tarn valley above its lowest point, linking two limestone plateaus , the Causse du Larzac and the Causse Rouge  [ fr ] , and

2046-470: The bridge was devised by French designer and structural engineer Michel Virlogeux. He worked with the Dutch engineering firm Arcadis, responsible for the structural engineering of the bridge. The 'high solution' required the construction of a 2,500-metre-long (8,200 ft) viaduct . From 1991 to 1993, the structures division of Sétra , directed by Virlogeux, carried out preliminary studies, and examined

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2112-481: The bridge was tensioned overall, and weight tested. After this, the temporary pylons could be removed. The construction Millau Viaduct broke several records: Since opening in 2004, the deck height of Millau has been surpassed by several suspension bridges in China, including Sidu River Bridge , Baling River Bridge , and two spans ( Beipan River Guanxing Highway Bridge and Beipan River Hukun Expressway Bridge ) over

2178-475: The bridge will be at least 120 years. Numerous organisations opposed the project, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), France Nature Environnement , the national federation of motorway users, and Environmental Action. Opponents advanced several arguments: Two weeks after the laying of the first stone on 14 December 2001, workers started digging deep shafts for the pilings. Each pylon

2244-407: The concession yields high revenues, the French government can assume control of the bridge as early as 2044. The project required about 127,000 cubic metres (166,000  cu yd ) of concrete , 19,000 tonnes (21,000 short tons ) of steel for the reinforced concrete, and 5,000 tonnes (5,500 short tons) of pre-stressed steel for the cables and shrouds. The builder claims that the lifetime of

2310-506: The concrete pylons. Between each of them, eleven stays (steel cables) are anchored, providing support for the road deck. Each mast of the Viaduct is equipped with a monoaxial layer of eleven pairs of cable-stays; laid face to face. Depending on their length, the cable stays were made of 55 to 91 high tensile steel cables, or strands, themselves formed of seven strands of steel (a central strand with six intertwined strands). Each strand has triple protection against corrosion ( galvanisation ,

2376-705: The construction work. The construction consortium was made up of the Eiffage TP company for the concrete part, the Eiffel company for the steel roadway ( Gustave Eiffel built the Garabit viaduct in 1884, a railway bridge in the neighbouring Cantal département ), and the Enerpac company for the roadway's hydraulic supports. The engineering group Setec has authority in the project, with SNCF engineering having partial control. Appia (company)  [ fr ]

2442-429: The decision of the jury, which was constituted of elected artists and experts, and chaired by Christian Leyrit, the director of highways. The solution of a multiple-span viaduct cable-stayed bridge , presented by the structural engineering group Sogelerg, Europe Etudes Gecti and Serf, and the architects Foster + Partners was declared the best. Detailed studies were carried out by the successful consortium, steered by

2508-475: The deck, on the pylons, and on the masts. The pylons, road deck, masts, and cable stays are equipped with a multitude of sensors to enable structural health monitoring . These are designed to detect the slightest movement in the Viaduct, and measure its resistance to wear-and-tear over time. Anemometers , accelerometers , inclinometers , and temperature sensors are all used for the instrumentation network. Twelve fibre optic extensometers were installed in

2574-404: The feasibility of a single structure spanning the valley. Taking into account technical, architectural, and financial issues, the Administration of Roads opened the question for competition among structural engineers and architects to widen the search for realistic designs. By July 1993, seventeen structural engineers and thirty-eight architects applied as candidates for the preliminary studies. With

2640-566: The government is responsible for national defense, and directs the actions of the French Armed Forces . The workings of the government of France are based on the principle of collegiality . Meetings of the Council of Ministers take place every Wednesday morning at the Élysée Palace. They are presided over by the president of the Republic, who promotes solidarity and collegiality amongst government ministers. These meetings follow

2706-477: The government must be registered in the government gazette . The Council of Ministers ( French : Conseil des ministres ) is established by the Constitution. It is composed only of the senior ministers, though some secretaries of state may attend Council meetings. The Council of Ministers is chaired by the president, unlike the government, but is still led by the prime minister, who was officially titled as

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2772-425: The government must resign his or her seat in order to serve as a minister or as the prime minister. Despite these restrictions, members of the government are allowed to keep local elected positions , such as those of city mayor or regional councilor. While the Constitution of the French Republic does not prohibit ministers from being the leader of a political party, it is customary that ministers should not occupy such

2838-443: The highways authority until mid-1998. After undergoing wind tunnel tests , the shape of the road deck was altered, and detailed corrections were made to the design of the pylons . When the details were eventually finalised, the whole design was approved in late 1998. Once the Ministry of Public Works had taken the decision to offer the construction and operation of the viaduct as a grant of contract, an international call for tenders

2904-400: The launching technology. The sliding shutter technology for the bridge piers came from PERI . The bridge's construction cost up to €394 million , with a toll plaza 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of the viaduct, costing an additional € 20 million . The builders, Eiffage , financed the construction in return for a concession to collect the tolls for 75 years, until 2080. However, if

2970-408: The metal road deck under traffic, a special surface of modified bitumen was installed by research teams from Appia (company)  [ fr ] . The surface is somewhat flexible to adapt to deformations in the steel deck without cracking, but it must nevertheless have sufficient strength to withstand motorway conditions (fatigue, density, texture, adherence, anti-rutting etc.). The 'ideal formula'

3036-442: The minister in running a ministry. Members of ministerial cabinets are powerful figures within the government and work in both the political and administrative spheres. The hierarchy in each ministerial cabinet is determined by the minister. Working groups consisting of representatives from several ministries are commonplace. It is the duty of the prime minister to oversee these inter-ministry meetings and to ensure that government work

3102-529: The ministers. In addition, the minister of foreign affairs provides the Council with weekly updates on important international issues. Most government work, however, is done elsewhere. Much of it is done by each individual ministry, under the direction of the minister responsible for that ministry. Ministers each have their own staff, called a "ministerial cabinet" ( French : Cabinet ministériel ). Each ministerial cabinet consists of around ten to twenty members, who are political appointees. Cabinet members assist

3168-588: The prime minister, are responsible to the National Assembly , the lower house of the French Parliament . Cases of ministerial misconduct are tried before the Cour de Justice de la République . All members of the French government are appointed by the president of the Republic on the advice of the prime minister. Members of the government are ranked in a precise order, which is established at

3234-458: The prime minister, compromising separation of powers . If the government decides to launch an armed operation with a duration of longer than four months, it must first consult parliament and request an authorization. The prime minister may convene parliament for extraordinary sessions, or add additional sitting days to the legislative calendar. The names of ministries change often in France. This

3300-425: The pylons emerged from the ground. The speed of construction then rapidly increased. Every three days, each pylon increased in height by 4 metres (13 ft). This performance was mainly due to sliding shuttering . Thanks to a system of shoe anchorages and fixed rails in the heart of the pylons, a new layer of concrete could be poured every 20 minutes. The bridge road deck was constructed on plateaus at both ends of

3366-468: The road deck monitor the oscillations that can affect the metal structure. Displacements of the deck on the abutment level are measured to the nearest millimetre. The cable stays are also instrumented, and their ageing meticulously analysed. Additionally, two piezoelectric sensors gather traffic data: weight of vehicles, average speed , density of the flow of traffic, etc. This system can distinguish between fourteen different types of vehicle. The data

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3432-675: The seven pylons is supported by four deep shafts, 15 metres (49  ft ) deep and 5 metres (16 ft) in diameter. The abutments are concrete structures that provide anchorage for the road deck to the ground in the Causse du Larzac and the Causse Rouge. The metallic road deck, which appears very light despite its total mass of around 36,000 tonnes (40,000 short tons ), is 2,460 metres (8,070 ft) long and 32 metres (105 ft 0 in) wide. It comprises eight spans . The six central spans measure 342 metres (1,122 ft), and

3498-470: The tender. Because the government had already taken the design work to an advanced stage, the technical uncertainties were considerably reduced. A further advantage of this process was to make negotiating the contract easier, reducing public expense, and speeding up construction, while minimising such design work as remained for the contractor. All the member companies of the Eiffage group had some role in

3564-436: The time of government formation. In this hierarchy, the prime minister is the head of government. They are appointed by the president of the Republic. While the president is constitutionally free to appoint whomever they like, in practice, they must nominate a candidate that reflects the will of the majority of the National Assembly, as the government relies on the confidence of the French Parliament. After being nominated to lead

3630-622: The two outer spans are 204 metres (669 ft). These are composed of 173 central box beams, the spinal column of the construction, onto which the lateral floors and the lateral box beams were welded . The central box beams have a 4 metres (13 ft 1 in) cross-section, and a length of 15–22 metres (49–72 ft) for a total weight of 90 metric tons (99 short tons ). The deck has an inverse airfoil shape, providing negative lift in strong wind conditions. The seven masts, each 87 metres (285  ft ) high, and weighing around 700 tonnes (690 long tons ; 770 short tons ), are set on top of

3696-419: The viaduct, and pushed onto the pylons using bridge launching techniques. Each half of the assembled road deck was pushed lengthwise from the plateaus to the pylons, passing across one pylon to the next. During the launching, the road deck was also supported by eight temporary towers, which were removed near the end of construction. In addition to hydraulic jacks on each plateau pushing the road decks, each pylon

3762-501: Was built over three years, formally inaugurated on 14 December 2004, and opened to traffic two days later on 16 December. The bridge has been consistently ranked as one of the greatest engineering achievements of modern times, and received the 2006 Outstanding Structure Award from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering . In the 1980s, high levels of road traffic near Millau in

3828-430: Was found after two years of research. The electrical installations of the viaduct are large in proportion to the size of the bridge. There are 30 kilometres (19 mi) of high-current cables, 20 kilometres (12 mi) of fibre optics , 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of low-current cables, and 357 telephone sockets; allowing maintenance teams to communicate with each other and with the command post. These are situated on

3894-481: Was issued in 1999. Five consortia tendered: Piers were built with Lafarge high performance concrete. The pylons of the Millau Viaduct, which are the tallest elements (the tallest one being 244.96 metres (803.7 ft)) were produced and mounted by PAECH Construction Enterprise from Poland. The Compagnie Eiffage du Viaduc de Millau, working with the architect Norman Foster , was successful in obtaining

3960-403: Was led by engineer Michel Virlogeux and English architect Norman Foster . As of October 2023, it is the tallest bridge in the world , having a structural height of 343 metres (1,125 ft). The Millau Viaduct is part of the A75 – A71 autoroute axis from Paris to Béziers and Montpellier . The cost of construction was approximately € 394 million ( US$ 424 million ). It

4026-480: Was made by five associated architect groups and structural engineers. In January 1995, the government issued a declaration of public interest to solicit design approaches for a competition. In July 1996 the jury decided in favour of a cable-stayed design with multiple spans, as proposed by the SODETEG consortium led by Michel Virlogeux , Norman Foster and Arcadis . The decision to proceed by grant of contract

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4092-661: Was made in May 1998; then in June 2000, the contest for the construction contract was launched, open to four consortia. In March 2001, Eiffage established the subsidiary Compagnie Eiffage du Viaduc de Millau (CEVM), and was declared winner of the contest and awarded the prime contract in August. In initial studies, four potential options were examined: The fourth option was selected by ministerial decree on 28 June 1989. It encompassed two possibilities: After long construction studies by

4158-564: Was responsible for prestressing the pillar heads. The steel road deck, and the hydraulic action of the road deck were designed by the Walloon engineering firm Greisch from Liège , Belgium , also an information and communication technologies (ICT) company of the Walloon Region. They carried out the general calculations and the resistance calculations for winds of up to 225 kilometres per hour (140  mph ). They also applied

4224-490: Was responsible for the job of the bituminous road surface on the bridge deck, and Forclum ( fr ) for electrical installations. Management was handled by Eiffage Concessions. The only other business that had a notable role on the building site was Freyssinet , a subsidiary of the Vinci Group specialising in prestressing . It installed the cable stays and put them under tension, while the prestress division of Eiffage

4290-422: Was roughly four minutes long. The mast pieces were driven over the new road deck lying down horizontally. The pieces were joined to form the one complete mast, still lying horizontally. The mast was then tilted upwards, as one piece, at one time in a tricky operation. In this way, each mast was erected on top of the corresponding concrete pylon. The stays connecting the masts and the deck were then installed, and

4356-429: Was topped with a mechanism on top of each pylon that also pushed the deck. This mechanism consisted of a computer-controlled pair of wedges under the deck manipulated by hydraulics. The upper and lower wedge of each pair pointed in opposite directions. The wedges were hydraulically operated, and moved repeatedly in the following sequence: The launching advanced the road deck at 600 millimetres (24 in) per cycle which

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