© Alexander TzoukasRion Antirion Bridge 2004
Rion Antirion Bridge 2004
The Bridge
The Peloponnese peninsula was only previously accessed from the Greek mainland by ferries, or the narrow strip of land close to Corinth in the east. A four-tower cable-stayed bridge was constructed to improve north-south connections over the Gulf of Corinth.
There are unusual conditions in the straits that the bridge engineering solution had to overcome: there is seismic activity, deep waters and a seabed of loose sediment. The bridge piers rest on a bed of gravel on the seabed which absorbs the energy during an earthquake, by allowing lateral movement.
The bridge opened the day before the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Rion Antirion Bridge
Also known as the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge
Key Facts
Motorway bridge
A four-tower cable-stayed bridge
One of the world’s longest cable-stayed suspended decks
Location
Patras, West Greece
Across The Gulf of Corinth
Connecting the Greek mainland with the Peloponnese
Designers
Berdj Mikaelian
Ingérop
Vinci Construction Grands Projets
Description
Multiple-span cable-stayed bridge
3 x 560m main spans
2,880m total length
Main contractors
French-Greek consortium led by Vinci
Construction
Began in 1999
Opened 7 August 2004
Other long-span bridges
