Viaduc d'Austerlitz is a single-deck, steel arch

Arch bridge

An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...

, rail

Rail transport

Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...

 bridge

Bridge

A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...

 that crosses the Seine

Seine

The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...

 in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

. Its usage is solely dedicated to the railroad traffic on Line 5

Paris Metro Line 5

Paris Métro Line 5 is one of the 16 metro lines built in Paris, France. It crosses the east of Paris from Bobigny to Place d'Italie. It is the eighth busiest line on the network....

 of the Parisian Metro Network

Paris Métro

The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...

. It links Gare d'Austerlitz

Gare d'Austerlitz

Paris Austerlitz is one of the six large terminus railway stations in Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine in the southeastern part of the city, in the XIIIe arrondissement...

on the left bank to Quai de la Rapée

Quai de la Rapée (Paris Metro)

Quai de la Rapée is a station of the Paris Métro, serving line 5.Unusually, this station is located at ground level, and is open-air in plan. It was submerged during the historic flood of 1910....

 on the other side of the river.
Due to restrictions posed by navigational traffic, it was implausible to place a pier

Pier (architecture)

In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...

 in the middle of the river. Therefore, in 1903, engineer Louis Biette, with the help of Fulgence Bienvenüe

Fulgence Bienvenüe

Fulgence Bienvenüe was a French civil engineer, best known for his role in the construction of the Paris Métro....

, conceptualized a metallic bridge that crossed the river in a single span.

Tasked with the bridge construction, the Building Society of Levallois-Perret

Levallois-Perret

Levallois-Perret is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.-Name:The name Levallois-Perret comes from two housing developments, Champerret and Village Levallois , and which resulted in the incorporation of the...

 (La Societé de Construction de Levallois-Perret) proposed a bridge with a span reaching 140 m, which was a record out of all the Parisian bridges at the time.