Where are the 3,000 local bridges reported to have structural faults in France?
Too much road traffic, climate change, a lack of maintenance and repair are all factors
Older bridges and those that experience a lot of traffic or extreme weather are more at risk, the report said (stock image for illustration only, no suggestion this bridge is dangerous)leoks/Shutterstock
More than 3,000 local bridges in France have “major structural faults”, a new nationwide risk analysis has found, with 400 bridges closed as a result of the findings.
Almost 60,000 bridges were analysed in the audit by le Centre d'études et d’expertise sur les risques, l’environnement, la mobilité et l’aménagement (Cerema), reported by BFMTV. The study found that only a quarter of the bridges analysed - including their supporting structures and walls - were in a “good state”.
Many more were in a condition of poor repair, the audit found. One such example is a 200-year-old bridge in Ménesqueville (Eure). Mayor Dominique Cahagne said: “There has been a lack of maintenance for decades with the last major works undertaken 60 years ago.”
A screenshot of the audit map by Cerema (bridges in blue, walls in orange)Cerema.fr / screenshot
An interactive map showing all the bridges assessed by the audit is available on the Cerema website here. The data was gathered from mid-2021 and summer 2024. Each commune was then handed a file of the findings, and details of any repair work needed.
‘Major structural faults’
Around 10,000 (25%) of local bridges are in need of short-term work, repair or complete replacement, the report found.
More than 3,000 (nearly 8% of the local bridges analysed) require emergency measures because they have “major structural faults”. Almost 400 bridges required immediate closure, and 1,500 have had their maximum vehicle weight lowered.
The lack of good repair in France is “due to a lack of maintenance” in the face of “ageing structures”, said David Zambon, director of transport infrastructure and materials at Cerema.
“The first type of damage occurs when water seeps in with vegetation growing: it becomes fragile over time and requires waterproofing and repair work,” he said. “Then there are other types of damage, such as concrete that ages badly, or iron systems that rust.”
Structures that take a lot of road traffic or have a river flowing underneath are particularly susceptible to damage.
Mr Zambon has estimated that the cost of repairing the 3,000 bridges with “major faults” will reach as much as €750 million. A first wave of repair work has already been launched, he said, at a cost of €50 million.
However, maintaining these bridges can be a challenge for local authorities, many of which do not have specialised staff who understand how to maintain the structure and heritage of old bridges. Similarly, a lack of funds may cause work to be delayed.
For example, In the Eure department, three bridges require major work, with the cost estimated at €640,000.
“We have applied for subsidies from the state and department,” said François Baldari, vice-president of the Lyons Andelle community of municipalities, to BFMTV.
Extreme weather and climate change
Bridges can also be at risk due to extreme weather and the effects of climate change. One bridge in the Var department (in Le Muy) was severely damaged and collapsed in bad weather that hit the area in October.
“Bridges spanning rivers are weakened by floods and droughts,” said Mr Zambon. “There are also ground movements and shrinkage and swelling of clay in places. All these phenomena are accelerating and are not helping matters.”
The report comes as a trial started in Toulouse this week into the 2019 case of a lorry that drove over a bridge in Mirepoix-sur-Tarn leading to its collapse and the deaths of two people. The bridge dated back to 1935 and had been closed to lorries over a certain weight.
