The Tui-Valença International Bridge is a road-rail infrastructure of the Valença International Branch that crosses the River Minho on the border between Portugal and Galicia
The Tui-Valença International Bridge or Metallic Bridge is located over the River Minho that connects Valença to Tui.
The International Road-Rail Bridge is an important sign of progress in this municipality, which for some years saw the train ending in Segadães.
In 1879, the governments of Portugal and Spain reached an agreement to build this important bifunctional link (rail and road).
The Tui-Valença International Bridge, inaugurated on March 25, 1886, is a project by Spanish engineer D. Pelayo Mancebo Y Agreda.
The International Road-Rail Bridge is an important sign of progress in this municipality, which for some years saw the train ending in Segadães.
In 1879, the governments of Portugal and Spain reached an agreement to build this important bifunctional link (rail and road).
The Tui-Valença International Bridge, inaugurated on March 25, 1886, is a project by Spanish engineer D. Pelayo Mancebo Y Agreda.
History of the Tui-Valença International Bridge
The project makes an international railway connection in Galicia dates back to 1856 when King Pedro V defended the construction of a railway starting on the Eastern Line, then in planning and ending in Vigo passing through the city of Porto since with this route it would be closer to the border with France than passing through Badajoz.
In 1867, the government presented several projects for railway connections, including one from Porto that would connect Spain via Minho.
The section to Valença of the Minho Line was inaugurated on August 6, 1882 and the structure began to be built in 1882 and was inaugurated on March 25, 1886 as part of the Valença International Branch and was designed by the Spanish architect Pelayo Mancebo and the construction costs were divided between the Portuguese and Spanish governments.
At the end of the 1980s, the bridge was crossed by trains of goods towed by Series 308 locomotives from the operator Red Nacional de Ferrocarriles Españoles and the only locomotives allowed to cross the bridge due to their reduced axle weight.
In 1986, a ceremony was held to commemorate the centenary of the inauguration of this bridge.
In 2011, the mayor of Tui threatened to block traffic on the Bridge if the operator Comboios de Portugal decided to suspend the Porto-Vigo International Train as had been announced.
The National Railway Network awarded the company Teixeira Duarte a contract for the rehabilitation and reinforcement of the foundations of this bridge within 365 days (19 December 2011).
The objectives of this intervention were to ensure that the infrastructure had the longitudinal strength necessary for the works, to prevent future infra-excavation work from putting the stability of the foundations at risk, to reinforce the base of the pillars and to stabilize the soil of the foundations, especially submerged ones.
In the rehabilitation of four pillars and masonry, replacement of all support devices, rehabilitation and reinforcement of abutments and installation of equipment to control longitudinal movements and the intervention was considered routine, being one of the works that are carried out periodically with an interval of around 50 years.
To carry out these works, which began in April 2012, it was necessary to prohibit car traffic on the lower deck for a scheduled period of five months.
In 1867, the government presented several projects for railway connections, including one from Porto that would connect Spain via Minho.
The section to Valença of the Minho Line was inaugurated on August 6, 1882 and the structure began to be built in 1882 and was inaugurated on March 25, 1886 as part of the Valença International Branch and was designed by the Spanish architect Pelayo Mancebo and the construction costs were divided between the Portuguese and Spanish governments.
At the end of the 1980s, the bridge was crossed by trains of goods towed by Series 308 locomotives from the operator Red Nacional de Ferrocarriles Españoles and the only locomotives allowed to cross the bridge due to their reduced axle weight.
In 1986, a ceremony was held to commemorate the centenary of the inauguration of this bridge.
In 2011, the mayor of Tui threatened to block traffic on the Bridge if the operator Comboios de Portugal decided to suspend the Porto-Vigo International Train as had been announced.
The National Railway Network awarded the company Teixeira Duarte a contract for the rehabilitation and reinforcement of the foundations of this bridge within 365 days (19 December 2011).
The objectives of this intervention were to ensure that the infrastructure had the longitudinal strength necessary for the works, to prevent future infra-excavation work from putting the stability of the foundations at risk, to reinforce the base of the pillars and to stabilize the soil of the foundations, especially submerged ones.
In the rehabilitation of four pillars and masonry, replacement of all support devices, rehabilitation and reinforcement of abutments and installation of equipment to control longitudinal movements and the intervention was considered routine, being one of the works that are carried out periodically with an interval of around 50 years.
To carry out these works, which began in April 2012, it was necessary to prohibit car traffic on the lower deck for a scheduled period of five months.
Characteristics of the Tui-Valença International Bridge
The bridge is made up of a superstructure made of a metal truss beam with multiple ball joints with five continuous spans and 318 meters long, crossing the River Minho with two decks, an upper one for the railway and a lower one for road use.
The bridge is jointly owned by the companies Rede Ferroviária Nacional, Estradas de Portugal, Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias and Dirección General de Carreteras.
The Tui-Valença International Bridge consists of two overlapping metal decks measuring 400 meters in length based on four granite pillars. The railway runs on the upper deck of the bridge with the lower floor reserved for road and pedestrian traffic.
A border and confluence space, for decades, this Metal Bridge symbolized a very important link (historical, economic and social) between the North of Portugal and Galicia which was, in this way, reinforced from the end of the 19th century.
Currently, daily international rail connections continue from Porto to the Spanish city of Vigo and the International Bridge will play a very important role in the development of Valença throughout the 20th century.
The bridge is jointly owned by the companies Rede Ferroviária Nacional, Estradas de Portugal, Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias and Dirección General de Carreteras.
The Tui-Valença International Bridge consists of two overlapping metal decks measuring 400 meters in length based on four granite pillars. The railway runs on the upper deck of the bridge with the lower floor reserved for road and pedestrian traffic.
A border and confluence space, for decades, this Metal Bridge symbolized a very important link (historical, economic and social) between the North of Portugal and Galicia which was, in this way, reinforced from the end of the 19th century.
Currently, daily international rail connections continue from Porto to the Spanish city of Vigo and the International Bridge will play a very important role in the development of Valença throughout the 20th century.
