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Viaduct

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Toronto's Prince Edward Viaduct bridges the Don valley; road traffic uses the upper deck, and rail traffic uses the lower deck.
The Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle is an example of another common use for the viaduct, allowing an increase in traffic capacity within a limited space.

A viaduct is a bridge that connects points of equal height in a landscape, usually by bridging a river valley or other eroded opening in an otherwise flat area. Often such valleys have roads descending either side (with a small bridge over the river, where necessary) that become inadequate for the traffic load, necessitating a viaduct for through traffic. Such bridges also lend themselves for use by rail traffic, which requires straighter and flatter routes. It gets its name from an analogy with aqueduct, which must be almost level in some cases, while a bridge for people, pack animals or non-rail vehicles can be hump-backed and gain a structural advantage (i.e., less material or design sophistication needed) from that shape.

See also


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