THE CITY of Venice, Italy, witnessed the arrival by boat of the city’s first new bridge in more than 70 years last week.
The bridge’s location is at a strategic point in Venice’s transport system, linking the railway station on one side of the canal with Piazzale Roma on the other. It is only the fourth to span the Grand Canal.
Designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, this sleek arc of steel, accessed by a set of glass steps, will span 94m from bank to bank. But it has been dogged by controversy. In 2002, a construction company put the estimated cost of building the bridge at 3.8 million euros and the time to complete at 450 days. Yet the cost has exceeded 10 million euros and the delays have been spectacular even by Italian standards.
However, the first convoy of transport vessels, carrying 200-tonnes of steel, has now finally arrived at the mouth of the Grand Canal. If all goes to plan, the bridge should finally open by the end of the year.
Do you have a view on this story? Email: editor@portugalresident.com
