PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF THE MESSINA STRAIT BRIDGE

Connecting Sicily to the Italian mainland with the world's longest span bridge is now high on Italy's political agenda, even though it is only 25 years from when the feasibility of a fixed link was first examined. The heavy traffic and deep, fast-moving waters of the Messina Strait coupled with seismic risk led to a decision in 1988 to site the suspension towers on land, requiring an unprecedented span of 3300 m - 66% longer than the 1990 m span Akashi-Kaikjio bridge in Japan, due for completion in 1998. A decision to proceed on the 2-4 billion Messina Strait project is expected in 1995, with completion provisionally scheduled for 2004. This Paper describes the detailed preliminary design together with the history, design criteria and site investigations which preceded it.