The cable-stayed Rande Bridge spans the River Vigo, linking Redondela to Moaña. It is considered a defining icon of Vigo, rising 40 metres and stretching 700 metres long. It opened to traffic in 1981, but by 2006 its average daily load reached 47.000 vehicles, resulting in frequent congestion. A widening project was presented as a solution: it would increase the bridge's capacity from four lanes up to six, without the need to construct a completely new bridge or even interrupt traffic on the existing bridge.
The bridge was selected by the IABSE Best Structure Award Committee (OStrAC) for the IABSE Best Structure Awards 2019 and awarded the #2 most important bridge job globally for the same year. The award recognises the most notable, innovative, creative, and stimulating structural works in the world, where sustainability and respect for the environment are positively valued aspects.
Sarens was commissioned to lift 56 new steel segments of the bridge, each weighing up to 105 tonnes, to widen the bridge. Sarens executed the lifts using eight working lift areas at the same time. Sarens faced the challenge of lifting two segments of the same transversal section of the bridge on the same day, with two different barge transports. Furthermore, they had to achieve this without any closure to road traffic on the bridge. They worked up to 60 metres above the water, using two lifting points per segment, and drawing on the talent of up to three crewmembers. To find more about the project execution by Sarens.
The presentation of the award will take place in New York City on September 4, 2019, on the occasion of the 2019 IABSE Congress.