• GiuseppeAndTheYeti@midwest.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    22
    ·
    2 days ago

    This bridge is actually a big deal in terms of economic prosperity for Sicilians. It’s also very technically challenging if not necessarily the longest bridge to build. The area is seismically active, regularly battles high winds, and the strait is rather deep for how narrow it is.

    So to reach the sea floor you need to submerge your span supports nearly 250 meters in choppy, fast-flowing water while also leaving enough room for regional shipping traffic. If you want to avoid that and build a suspension bridge–then it would surpass the current longest by 4,000 meters and you’re then battling the wind and seismic activity.

    Then there’s the additional logistical issue of making sure corrupt southern italian mafioso don’t hoover up construction contracts and bleed the project dry of funding.