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

[Prestonian]

Shame to see such a large feat of engineering abandoned but so far as I know it never really was a particularly viable plan. The benefits were only fairly modest compared to the cost and many thought the money could be better spent. As mentioned above the safety of the bridge given seismic activity was also questioned. It always seemed like a particularly extravagant design, multi span bridges are now much more common and often cheaper - was this simply not an option here?

[Gaeus]

Thats such an innovative design. Totally Breath-taking! I can't believe they suspended it. If the government system is just like Dubai or China, construction must be starting right now or even half-way through.





Hmm. Maybe Dubai can build one. They just need to build an island at the other end

NOTE:

I'm just kidding (woke up at 2:00 AM in Monday Morning and I can't sleep back).

[Geokioy]

I wonder if there is any plan for a tunnel connection instead of a bridge...Maybe it could be constructed more easily and face less future problems (such as earthquakes, strong winds, maintainance cost) in comparison to a bridge.

[pilotos]

Probably the sea bed is deep enough not to allow an easy tunnel construction.

[trainspotting]

Originally Posted by pilotos

Probably the sea bed is deep enough not to allow an easy tunnel construction.

It's true. Everybody refused a two spans bridge, due to the erosion of the waters in the channel, which means too much maintenance to ensure viaduct safety. And the seabed is too deep for those towers. Teh only possible project is a bridge with only one span, and 4 massive cables, tallest pylons and lightered structure.

[pilotos]

Originally Posted by trainspotting

It's true. Everybody refused a two spans bridge, due to the erosion of the waters in the channel, which means too much maintenance to ensure viaduct safety. And the seabed is too deep for those towers. Teh only possible project is a bridge with only one span, and 4 massive cables, tallest pylons and lightered structure.

Actually it seems that the sea depth at the point of messina strait is 72m, which would allow even a pylon to be build in the water, but wasn't the plan to build only two pylons, which would have been located in the land?

And about the concerns for the impact of the earthquakes, it seems that the only bridge that has been build into a region like this is the one in rio-antirio, which is a cable stayed bridge though and not a suspension, so did they also considered a bridge like this?

[trainspotting]

The most deep point is close to 100 meters, and a pylon on the half path in the center of the bridge is not so cheap and safe for a structure like that.
With some (or many) issues it can be built, but the project scheme does not show a two-span viaduct.

[choyak]

This is sickening to me if this awesome bridge is cancelled. WTF are teh 'greens' in on this. UMM I think that FERRIES using DIESEL and polluting the water alot more than trains and cars travelling on a bridge. I suspect that there is some collusion with refineries that produce diesel. This bridge, if built will be the most beautiful structure, and even if the height is what over 300m, Villieu viaduct already has pylons over 300m so it si technically feasible to build this!!

Please build this!!!!!

[trainspotting]

Originally Posted by choyak

This is sickening to me if this awesome bridge is cancelled. WTF are teh 'greens' in on this. UMM I think that FERRIES using DIESEL and polluting the water alot more than trains and cars travelling on a bridge. I suspect that there is some collusion with refineries that produce diesel. This bridge, if built will be the most beautiful structure, and even if the height is what over 300m, Villieu viaduct already has pylons over 300m so it si technically feasible to build this!!

Please build this!!!!!

Go ask 'em which is the meaning of "Green" and "Peace" (Green-Peace ?!?). I must admit and i got ashamed about that: our government is the worst of the story about our country, and no way to insist 'em about the objectives of this infrastructure. They will never understand... the only solution is that they go home !

[Gary_A_Hill]

Originally Posted by Prestonian

... multi span bridges are now much more common ...

I don't believe this is true, in the category of suspension bridges. There is only one large two-span suspension bridge in the U.S. (San Francisco Bay) and many conventional single-span suspension bridges. There is at least one in Japan, but many single-span suspension bridges.

The optimal type and configuration of any bridge is usually determined by the constraints of the problem: minimum width of channel, required clearance, depth of channel, foundation conditions, nature of water traffic, bridge traffic, etc. I expect that a single long span suspension bridge was chosen because that is the optimal type from an engineering standpoint, all things considered.

[LosAngelesMetroBoy]

Originally Posted by choyak

This is sickening to me if this awesome bridge is cancelled. WTF are teh 'greens' in on this. UMM I think that FERRIES using DIESEL and polluting the water alot more than trains and cars travelling on a bridge. I suspect that there is some collusion with refineries that produce diesel. This bridge, if built will be the most beautiful structure, and even if the height is what over 300m, Villieu viaduct already has pylons over 300m so it si technically feasible to build this!!

Please build this!!!!!

Diesel is better for the enviroment than gasoline (assuming there are carbon filters)

[trainspotting]

Diesel ?
I prefer Hydrogen like fuel for cars and trucks, and electricity for trainz;
The first scenario will come after the construction of the bridge.

[Jim856796]

Now that the bridge has been cancelled, don't you think a tunnel shoild be built on the Strait of Messina?

[trainspotting]

It's not cancelled. It's stopped but with contracts still on and the Consorptium still alive. This government only redirected a portion of funds from it to other useful works in the southern italy: SS106 and Subways. It doesn't mean that the bridge will never be built, unless they delete a law made on 1971 that allows Italy to build the Bridge, but they didn't delete it. Di Pietro and the opposition together avoided half bilion of penalty fee by refusing the Comunists plans to stop all procedures and throw away years of studies for ideological reasons !
That doesn't mean that the bridge wil be built nor won't be built.
If Prodi goes home like everyone would, and a new government rules, thare are some probabilities that it can be refunded and works can start.
I dunno. But the project is still alive in order to avoid pay huge sums to be delivered to Impregilo and other contractors: Parson's Trans Group Inc., Fenice and Marsh S.p.A.
The website is temporarily obfuscated however.

[FM 2258]

I remember when I visited Catania earlier this year I thought there was a way to drive to Reggio Di Calabria but instead decided to explore Mt. Etna. I wonder how well the ferry system is working for people today.

[PopolVuh!]

this is incredible...

[anonymous_filipino]

with Romano Prodi gone, and if the President of Italy declares an election and Berlusconi wins again, expect this bridge project to be revived

[anonymous_filipino]

Now that Silvio Berlusconi is reelected as prime minister of Italy, will this project become a reality now? Will it soon start construction?

[GENIUS LOCI]

That news was just released

PONTE STRETTO: BERLUSCONI "LAVORI INIZIERANNO PRESTO"
ROMA (ITALPRESS) - "Il cantiere per l'avvio dei lavori per il ponte sullo Stretto aprira' presto, oggi posso dire di essermene sempre interessato, anche se fino all'altro ieri non ho voluto dirlo apertamente per scaramanzia". Lo ha detto il premier in pectore, Silvio Berlusconi, parlando durante la conferenza stampa con i leader della maggioranza che ha vinto le elezioni, rivolgendosi a Raffaele Lombardo che gli era accanto. (ITALPRESS).

A fast translation: Berlusconi says the bridge will be soon u/c

[Matthieu]

wow, but really soon?