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Strait of Messina Bridge Project
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This project if completed would stand as one of the Landmark Bridges of the 21st century. It would be the longest suspension bridge ever built (between towers). The Strait of Messina (divides the island of Sicily from Calabria in southern Italy) is 2 miles (3km) wide. While the overall length is not a big problem the economics, water depth, wind, and earthquakes all have to be accounted for. Presently all has been accounted for except the economics. To avoid the problem of the deep water, the solution was to design the longest suspension bridge ever. It will have a 3300 m (2 mi) main span and 180 m (590 ft) side spans (overall length 3.7 km(2.5 mi)). The main piers will be founded in 120 m (400 ft) of water. There will be a new patented lighter deck design which deals with aerodynamic and seismic problems. The wind will be no problem as the aerodynamic features of the bridge will allow it to withstand 216 km/hr (134 mi/hr). Earthquakes will have to be huge as the bridge will be able to face without damage a seismic action corresponding to 7.1 magnitude in Richter scale (severer than the earthquake that destroyed in Messina on 1908). The only obstacle left is the funding. The bridge is expected to cost five billion dollars and take eleven years to build. The bridge will be 60 m (196 feet wide) and will have 12 lanes for traffic and two lanes in the middle for trains. This will allow 140,000 vehicles and 200 trains per day. This will cut down transit times of up to 12 hours down to minutes. History Condensed From Bridges by David J. Brown In 1969 other concepts were submitted in an ideas competition. Among them there was a cable-stayed design by Fritz-Leonhardt which would have spanned half as far again as any other conceived today. No scheme was taken up at the time though. In 1976 a committee which included the great Italian engineer Riccardo Morandi had laid out a study for the crossing. Five years later the State Sponsored Stretto di Messina company was formed. Five years after that that company issued a feasibility report on three ways to cross the the gulf: 1.) suspension bridge 2.) floating tunnel 3.) bored tunnel. A mass of evidence, garnered from geologists, seismologists, and geotechnical engineers, eliminated both tunnel ideas as well as any intermediate piers. It was decided that the longest suspension bridge ever to be built would be the most practical idea. Morandi by then in his mid 80's had played a central role in the development of the single span solution, although the final design handed over in 1992 adopts a pure suspension configuration for the main span, rather than the suspension/cable hybrid that he presented in 1986. as of 3-26-2002 Stretto di Messina has cancelled the bids for the next stage of the detailed design of the Messina Bridge. Despite the government pledging 1/2 the cost of the bridge there has not been enough financing sources for the project. as of 4-19-2001 The Italian government has given it OK to build this bridge with the provision that the private sector pay half of its cost. Back to top
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