The city of Vitry-sur-Seine, crossed by the Seine river and a railway line, has a history intimately linked to its bridges. The latest, the Niki de Saint-Phalle landscape bridge, was inaugurated at the foot of the new Ardoines station.
Before the 19th century, crossing the Seine between Paris and Corbeil was mainly done by boat from the Port-à-l’Anglais, a port existing since the 13th century. It wasn't until 1912 that a competition was launched for the construction of a metal bridge between Vitry and Alfortville. The chosen project, by Arnodin establishments, used the Gisclard system with cables. This 250-meter bridge, whose construction was interrupted by World War I, was completed in 1928 and is now an important crossing point.
Another human-made dividing line crosses Vitry: the railway, which has cut the city in two since 1840. The development of trams was hindered by the level crossing. In 1903, an underpass was dug under the tracks on Avenue du Chemin-de-Fer (now Avenue Paul-Vaillant-Couturier), allowing the tram to serve the city center.
Further south, another bridge spans the railway. Initially named Mazagran, it was renamed pont des Fusillés (Bridge of the Shot) in 1945 in homage to six resistant railway workers who were shot there by a German troop on August 20, 1944, during the uprising against the occupation.
In the Ardoines district, currently undergoing redevelopment, a new 300-meter landscape bridge, the Niki de Saint Phalle bridge, now connects Rue Léon-Mauvais to Rue Léon-Geffroy. This 29-meter wide bridge, intended for vehicles and pedestrians, is also planted. A project to extend this bridge over the Seine towards Alfortville is also being studied to ease traffic on the Pont du Port-à-l’Anglais.
