Statement of intent

This is the underside of the truly fabulous 'new' bridge in St Gervais. Built last year, there are a host of remarkable things about it;
It must be 400m long (I've no actual idea, could be bigger) and crosses a very deep glacial gorge.
They built it in a year, on time ( Back in the UK they've been re-surfacing the motorway bridge near us for 18 months).
Behind where I took this photo, inside the first foundations on the town side of the gorge, they've built a climbing wall that is free for local schools and clubs.
On this underside level, in the middle of the gorge, they've built a commercial bungee jump station.
The whole bridge has been built to accommodate up to 500mm of movement due to the temperature variances in the Alps(the science of this simply befuddled me).

The project was designed and implemented by the town council (Marie?). Now as someone who lives in a UK tourist driven economy zone I find the way it was done inspiring. The primary purpose was to reduce the congestion in the historic town, whilst making access to the main ski lift station more accessible. Yet the council knew that there must be benefits to the community at large, those who's taxes paid for it. The climbing wall, the lack of a toll and the design - the bridge is now a tourist attraction - to coin a key phrase of the 90's - joined up thinking.