The Strait of Messina Bridge - The longest suspension Bridge in the world (3300m)

[909]

Yes, it is cancelled by Prodi. Perhaps good for the tax-payers in Italy, but it sucks for us.

[trainspotting]

Prodi Sux, like this new little government.
He promoted again the Communism, the old political doctrine that miserably subdue the liberal people (me too) < .

However before starting suspension procedure the new president must review the law which authorized Stretto consortium to make the preliminary project of the bridge. I hope they will fail to "touch" this act up.
And i hope these ones will go to home at the earliest.

This legislature is lame, but now they grabbed all institutional positions.

[GENIUS LOCI]

Originally Posted by 909

Yes, it is cancelled by Prodi. Perhaps good for the tax-payers in Italy, but it sucks for us.

Maybe it's not good "enough" for the tax payers: Impregilo, who was the company who had to build it, can demand to the State more than 500 mln euros for refoundation

However: it's not official that Prodi's Governement will stop the project
For now we have only the "outings" of two different new ministers, one against and one in favour
I think at the end it will belong to Prodi himself to decide

I think it's possible he will say "the bridge is not prioritarian but we will do it the same way" modifing a little bit the project...

[Scruffy88]

damn. this was one of my favorite projects in the world

[HeMo]

Here an excerpt from an interview that infrstructur minister Di Pietro gave the Corriere della Sera

Apparantly the Itlaien ministry for Transport and Infrstructure has been divided into two ministries and already both ministers have different views!

EM: You normally speak clearly, but as regards infrastructure all the Centre Left seems ambiguous. Even in relation to the Bridge over the Straits, what does it mean that it isn’t a priority? You may as well say that it won’t go ahead.
ADP: The Bridge on its own would have no sense. To connect Trapani with Northern Europe isn’t feasible, but we need to see if the Bridge is a priority in relation to the Salerno-Reggio Calabria, to the Brescia-Milano, to the ring roads round the big cities. To simplify something into “This will be done and that won’t.” is a play on words that plays on the feelings of the citizens.

EM: The Transport Minister, Alessandro Bianchi, has been clear. He said the Bridge will not be done.
ADP: This is not something I decide, nor do any of the other individual Ministers decide. It’s a decision to be taken by the whole Government and by Parliament. That is why I talk of hurried declarations. There’s no conflict between Bianchi and me. In fact we are going to meet up on Monday to discuss who is going to deal with what. It’ll be necessary to turn to the Ministry of Public Works for some things and to the Transport Ministry for others.

[Scruffy88]

that doesn't do anything to restore my confidence that this will ever get built. damn. i am so disapointed in Italy right now

[Deadeye Reloaded]

Is should be possible to use the positive atmosphere in Italy after winning the World Cup to mobilize the government to build this bridge!

[firulais2005]

So is it going to be built? Just hope it will

[GENIUS LOCI]

Originally Posted by BBCnews

Italy drops Sicily bridge plans

The bridge has been lauded and criticised in equal measure
Italy has abandoned controversial plans to build a bridge between the country's mainland and the island of Sicily.
The structure would have crossed the Messina Straits, forming the world's longest single-span suspension bridge.

But Italian MPs voted to scrap the proposed construction, saying they had other priorities for Italy's impoverished southern island.

There were also concerns that organised crime networks could hijack the lucrative project.

A total of 272 MPs voted in favour of abandoning the bridge proposal, while 232 voted to continue.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6043626.stm

[Matthieu]

That's a disgrace, I wanted to see that bridge so much!!!

[GENIUS LOCI]

Unfortunately the bridge became a big subject for political clashes
In some way it became (irrationally ) a pro-Berlusconi or anti-Berlusconi deal
The current Government during the electoral campaign said it would have cancelled the bridge and he did it

I thought that after all they would have start to build the bridge anyway (as I said previously in the thread), infact even now some of the components of the Government says they are just "delaing" the construction which they do not consider, for political convinience, I suppose, a priority...

The truth is that with the almost tie this parlamentarian majority won the polls part even little of the coalition, as Green Party, become fondamental for the Government not to fall down
Unfortunately this means many concessions to Green "ideological" deals, as the Bridge on the Strait, but even High Speed Railways (delaied in Val di Susa) or other infrastructures

Anyway... back to the Bridge they didn't think enough IMO at damages thy'll have to refund to Impregilo, which had to build the bridge: we talk about hundreds of million euros
The Government says they haven't to pay the penalties forecasted by the contract: but I think they're wrong
In the end if it will be established they have to pay, what is very very likely, they've more convenience to build the bridge, haven't they?

[DonQui]

How, Mediterranean.

:S

[Justme]

Originally Posted by GENIUS LOCI

The truth is that with the almost tie this parlamentarian majority won the polls part even little of the coalition, as Green Party, become fondamental for the Government not to fall down
Unfortunately this means many concessions to Green "ideological" deals, as the Bridge on the Strait, but even High Speed Railways (delaied in Val di Susa) or other infrastructures

Are the greens in Italy against High Speed Rail as well?

[GENIUS LOCI]

It could seem incredible, but they are
Do you remember the clashes in Val di Susa in March? They came at the end of a demonstration against HSR Turin-Lyon that has to cross the valley
Apart various local political subjects (as many mayors of the valley), NIMBY as usual, the parties which officially support the protesters are Rifondazione Comunista (Communist Refoundation), Comunisti Italiani (Italian Communists) and Verdi (Green Party), all members of the coalition now at the Government

During the protests in Spring and after the support of Italian Green Party to 'em, French Green party of a valley off the border involved in Turin-Lyon HS project strongly criticized its Italian "homologous" saying it didn't understand why a green party is against the train; railways 've ever been the "warhorse" of greens against cars predominion

[Justme]

^ most bizzare.

The communists I can understand. During the period when communisim controlled many country's, the freedom to travel long distances within one's own country was virtually banned, and required government approval. Natually, the idea of high speed rail goes against this policy.

But Greens? I knew they were mad and illogical, but this is just simply amazing. What will it take to please them???

[GENIUS LOCI]

Originally Posted by Justme

^ most bizzare.

The communists I can understand. During the period when communisim controlled many country's, the freedom to travel long distances within one's own country was virtually banned, and required government approval. Natually, the idea of high speed rail goes against this policy.

But Greens? I knew they were mad and illogical, but this is just simply amazing. What will it take to please them???

This:



Maybe.. but maybe they'll find a mule pollutes too much

I think they inittially try, for political reasons, to use NIMBYs "displeasure" to have votes and "power" in centre-left coalition
But now I think they totally lost theirselves in a complete total ideological NIMBY thought that only brings to a do-nothing policy

[GENIUS LOCI]

P.S.
To confirm my statement I want to add a datus

Do you know Greens in Italy are even against wind mills which produce electrical power?
They say they "pollute" the landscape

Nothing to add

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by GENIUS LOCI

The World's Major Suspension Bridges

...
68 Angus L. Mac Donald 441 1955 Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
69 Murray Mac Kay 427 1970 Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
...

Hangin in there!

[GENIUS LOCI]

A strange news today on Italian main newspaper Corriere della Sera

The Governement authorized Impregilo,the company which won the contract to build the bridge, to begin to build accessory works at the bridge

What could it mean?
Maybe, for political reasons and internal stability, Governement "pretended" to cancel the Bridge but it wants to build it actually

Maintaining a very low profile and in some way tricking Prodi's Green and Communist allies
But this is just an interpretation of mine

[SYDNEYAHOLIC]

I really do hope that they build the bridge

but what about the sensitive environment around the bridge???

is there a way of building the approaches differently so as to make the least impact possible???

just a thought