The Cocody Bridge, also known as the Fifth Bridge of Abidjan, will be open to traffic on Saturday, August 12, 2023, by the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara.
The ceremony originally scheduled for Thursday, August 3rd, was postponed due to the 10-day mourning period decreed by the government from August 2nd to August 11th, during which the flags of Côte d’Ivoire will be flown at half-mast throughout the national territory and at Ivorian embassies abroad.
Experts have explained that the Cocody Bridge, which cost 97.872 billion CFA francs, has cables that weigh 5 tons each, unlike other bridges in the world that generally weigh 800 kg. Furthermore, they added that these measures have been taken to ensure all aspects of safety.
To support the structure, 19 cables, 11 on the main section and eight on the Cocody side, cross the Ebrié Lagoon. Additionally, these high-tech cables will illuminate the bridge during independence celebrations with orange, white, and green lights (the colors of the Ivorian flag).
The Cocody Bridge, measuring 630 meters in length, with 200 meters of cables spanning the Cocody Bay channel, connects the cities of Cocody and Plateau. Furthermore, it will improve traffic flow in the economic capital. Approximately 400 young Ivorians have continuously worked on the construction site.
