October 19, 2025

The Lucie-Bréard Footbridge in Saint-Denis, France: Opportunities and Challenges of Bridge Reuse

Key Points

The reuse of the bridge deck significantly promotes sustainability, reducing waste and resource consumption.
Key considerations for reuse include material properties and structural mechanics, factors that influence safety and functionality.
Evaluating construction methods is crucial when integrating existing materials into new designs, streamlining processes.
The decision to reuse reflects a growing trend towards environmentally conscious infrastructure development in urban settings.

Abstract

Two existing inaccessible bridges across the Canal Saint-Denis were to be replaced with a new permanent accessible pedestrian and bicycle bridge to link the neighbourhoods of Le Franc-Moisin and Bel-Air to the Stade de France for the Paris 2024 Olympics.Instead of demolishing the existing structures and replacing them with a new bridge, the deck of one bridge was reconfigured to form the main span of the new pedestrian and bicycle bridge.This paper discusses three key considerations for structural reuse of existing bridge elements - material properties, structural mechanics, and construction methods – using the Lucie-Bréard footbridge as a case study. The paper concludes by evaluating the positive environmental impacts of the decision to reuse an existing bridge deck in the new Lucie-Bréard footbridge.

Mark Helpful

Bookmark

Relay