Rion-Antirion Bridge - Greece

Greece had the great dream of a bridge crossing the 3 km Corinth Gulf strait. Bridge built in such a way it could withstand extreme weather conditions.

The Rion- Antirion bridge will be the longest cable stayed bridge in the world with a continuous deck of 2,250 meters.


The bridge will facilitate communication between Greece and Italy (and thus Western Europe) through the harbors of Patras and Igoumenitsa.

The Rion-Antirion bridge is connecting two major roads:

• the Patras - Athens - Thessaloniki motorway which links the three most important cities of Greece and forms part of the European motorway network,
• the Kalamata - Patras - Igoumenitsa Western axis.

The bridge environment presents an exceptional combination of adverse physical conditions:

• water depth up to 65 m
• weak sea bed - Sea bed reinforcement ( by 65 meter water dep
• 
  
• th), 90 meters diameter piers & a 2,252 m fully suspended deck (a world record).
  
• strong seismic activity and possible tectonic movements
  

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The Rion-Antirion bridge is built to withstand a collision of a 180.000 tons tanker, wind speed of 250 km per hour and over 7 Richter scale earthquake.

Totally EURO 800 million spent for Construction

• 10% Share capital
• 45% State financial contribution
• 45% Loan from European Investment Bank guaranteed by a pool of commercial banks.
  
  Interactive Bridge