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Sicilian Suspension Bridge to Go Ahead

Posted by michael on from the bigger-is-better dept.

SpanningTheGap writes "According to the BBC, Italy plans on building a suspension bridge connecting the Italian mainland with the island of Sicily. The bridge will be five kilometers long and its central span will be over three kilometers long, easily breaking the old record length for a suspension bridge. The artist's conception image of the monster is a sight to see. Another article with more info can be found here." There's a website with assorted technical info about the design.

12 of 376 comments (clear)

  1. have to wonder by JeanBaptiste · · Score: 5, Insightful

    how this will affect the culture of both areas. I know throughout history that small gap of water served as enough of a barrier to make sicily a distinct separate culture, is this bridge an end to that? or is this already the case due to other transportation?

  2. Chunnel by hagardtroll · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If this is so controverial, Why don't they just build a chunnel instead?

    Seemed to work for the English Channel.

    1. Re:Chunnel by Fantanicity · · Score: 5, Informative

      The english channel is more stable than the Med. See 20 Years of Seismicity in the Mediterranean - 1977 - 1997 USGS

    2. Re:Chunnel by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Finally if you had bothered to read to the end of the article, the greens are against not because it would be ugly, but simple because the money could be better spent on a clean water supply for all the local population."

      I wonder if their argument is a bit backwards. The situation in Sicily might be caused by the fact that they have no good access to the mainland. With easier access both ways, it might result in changes to the island social climate such that the problem will end up being solved as a byproduct.

      In some ways, "build it and they will come" might actually work. Much sillier things have happened.

      I will admit that the bridge's price tag is HUGE. Such a move has a lot of risk and should be considered with all due care.

  3. Gibraltar Bridge by CaseyB · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I seriously doubt that it'll ever be built, but the Gibraltar Bridge is a fascinating concept nonetheless.

    9 *miles* long, with 3 towers, each almost twice the height of the CN Tower. Crazy!

  4. Re:Bad perspective by Fantanicity · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This does not bode well for their engineers

    I doubt the Italians are stupid enough to hire the BBC's photoshop monkey as their chief engineer.

  5. Longest span, not longest bridge by Mr.Phil · · Score: 5, Informative

    This new bridge will be the longest span between towers, but not the longest suspension bridge. Mackinac Bridge, connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, is five-miles long, including approaches, and is the world's longest suspension bridge between cable anchorages.

    http://www.mackinacbridge.org/

    I've been over it on days that where so windy there was a police escort across and you had to turn the car wheel at the expansion joints to stay in your lane. This was shortly after the lady in the Yugo blew over the side of the bridge in a wind storm.

  6. Kobe bridge by --daz-- · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I saw a documentary on bridges on the History channel and they were talking about the current #1 bridge (in Kobe, Japan) and they said that it's so long, that the main towards that hold the suspension cables are not parallel. The tops point out, away from each other significantly DUE TO THE CURVATURE OF THE EARTH! Sweet.

    Man, this Sicillian bridge will curve even more than that!

  7. Re:Lucifer's Hammer by ocbwilg · · Score: 5, Informative

    think in this situation, a 'chunnel' or something like it would make more sense, not just because it would be more durable,

    Except during times of high seismic activity, for which the area is known. The articles also stated that Sicily drifts northwards about 3 feet per century, and shifting that is likely much easier for a suspension bridge to cope with than a tunnel.

    but because a big bridge like this will disrupt shipping lanes during construction,

    If there are no pylons in the water as planned, disruption during construction should be minimal.

    and possibly dangerous to ships after it is completed.

    The articles stated that the bridge will be some 230+ feet above sea level which allows enough clearance for US aircraft carriers. That should leave plenty of room for cargo ships.

  8. Fish Eye Lens by hotsauce · · Score: 4, Insightful

    *Sigh* Never seen a photo from a fish eye lens? That effect actually makes the bridge even more impressive.

    --
    Lies about crimes
  9. Re:Huge engineering feat.. by Bios_Hakr · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In America, you study a book and take a written exam and a driving test to get a license. In Italy, you attend a year of driving school where you learn a LOT about cars and how to drive them. The school costs about $2000 which can be overwhelming when you consider the avreage Italian makes less than $25000/year, and pays about 35% income tax in addition to a 20% sales tax on all consumer items.

    As a 25yo American in Italy, I knew a lot of people my age who were not able to afford a car, much less a license. On top of that, gas was about $4/gallon, maybe more. In America, driving is really a right, even if the book referes to it as a privelege.

    Another good thing in Italy is that the older population does not drive. This gets rid of a good percentage of the people who should not be on the road in the first place.

    --
    I'd rather you do it wrong, than for me to have to do it at all.
  10. Re:Sicilian Suspension Bridge... by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 4, Funny

    A meter (I'm American--that's how we spell it)

    Funny -- I'm an American too, and I spell it Y-A-R-D...