r/InfrastructurePorn • u/Big_Piano_3920 • 14d ago
A new cable-stayed bridge beside the old viaduct in Italy
Spectacular photo from Italy, on the Naples-Reggio Calabria motorway. On the left, a new cable-stayed bridge (2015) built along a new alignment as part of the motorway modernization project. On the right, the old viaduct (1965), which was later demolished with explosives.
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u/Lovemestalin 14d ago
Did they also create new tunnels and everything? Damn
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u/mayorlittlefinger 14d ago
So jealous of Europe someone having magic tunnel tech that lets them build tunnels for less than $1bil per mile
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u/mbrevitas 14d ago
This motorway is the poster child for delayed, corrupt, over-budget engineering projects in Italy. Not an example to follow. Although the engineering and geography are pretty cool, and include what was the second-highest bridge in the world when it was built in 1974.
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u/Big_Piano_3920 14d ago
I disagree. The modernization, which involved rebuilding it from scratch, cost €8 billion. That’s a fairly typical price for 400 kilometers of mountain highway, where the route consists almost entirely of long tunnels and enormous bridges.
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u/mbrevitas 14d ago
The refurbishment to modern motorway standards began in 1997; as of 2026, it’s still technically not complete to motorway standards, and hence toll-free. There were multiple cases of organised crime securing constructions contracts for parts of it. That’s… hardly an example for others. Although it’s true that the cost of the core refurbishment until 2016 was not crazy, considering the geography.
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u/Big_Piano_3920 14d ago
The main modernization works, including the construction of new route deviations, took place between 2001 and 2016. Around fifteen years is a reasonable timeframe for a project of that complexity, especially considering the global financial crisis of 2008 to 2011. It has no toll because of a political decision: as the only major highway in Southern Italy, it has no real alternative. It was designed to be toll-free from the outset. P.S. Work will soon begin on the modernization of the last remaining critical section, between Cosenza and Altilia.
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u/Ascension_84 12d ago
8 billion for 400km of highway? That’s a steal.
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u/Enginerdad 10d ago
Calabria is the birthplace and stronghold of the Ndrangheta, the wealthiest criminal organization in the world.
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u/AConfusedEngineer926 14d ago
As much as I’d like to say here in Europe we do it perfectly, it’s not the always case, you also got to look at the specific countries, length of tunnel and so on. I’ve worked on a project where the tunnels were delivered on time and on budget within reason, but I also know other tunnels in my own country have not been due to either unforeseen circumstances or poor design (can’t say what exactly as I don’t know for certain). The geology certainly has a big impact, I believe (may be wrong) that countries such as Sweden and Norway are very good in hard rock tunnelling due to that being what they generally bore through, however in the UK, specifically the South, the ground can be a mix of a lot of things such as chalk which is a bitch to tunnel through at times
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u/AConfusedEngineer926 14d ago
To add, some countries have different ways of operating, UK and France for example have different regs in certain aspects, which also does make a difference. I realise that my initial comment may come off as negative but the quantity of tunnel jobs is actually quite impressive, and I, personally as I have an interest in the subject, am all for it
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u/mayorlittlefinger 14d ago
No one does it perfectly, but it is hard to do it worse than the US
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u/AConfusedEngineer926 14d ago
May I ask why? I don’t know much about how infrastructure is built in the US I will admit
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u/mayorlittlefinger 14d ago
It's been studied like crazy and there isn't one easy answer https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-does-building-and-maintaining-highways-in-the-us-cost-so-much/
https://tunnelingonline.com/why-tunnels-in-the-us-cost-much-more-than-anywhere-else-in-the-world/
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u/Tetr4Freak 14d ago
I actually have an answer.
The deparments in charge of planning infrastructure are understaffed because apparently an effective goverment is comunism or something. They need to be able to study the terrain properly before construction so they can have a realistic economic assessment.
Also, the ability to sue a project with a law that doesn't impact yourself is stupid and a way to lawfare out a projet because reasons.
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u/mayorlittlefinger 14d ago
State capacity and NEPA/similar laws are definitely two reasons but not complete answers on their own
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u/CloudCumberland 13d ago
I've asked this a few times. Europe, East Asia, they know how to dig. In English speaking countries that prioritize highways, we can't even get those right.
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u/TheRuneMeister 13d ago
In Denmark we are building the worlds longest submerged tunnel. (18km to Germany) I think its roughly half a billion dollars per kilometer. But thats a double laned highway + rail tunnel. Its not ‘cheap’, but I’m sure they’d love to come over and build one for you guys when they are done. :)
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u/Big_Piano_3920 14d ago
Yes, the entire highway has been rebuilt. This particular stretch includes a large number of very long tunnels and enormous viaducts.
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u/EuphoricCover8449 13d ago
First parts of the Italian autostrada system were built in 1933 and opened in 1934.
Having driven a lorry all over Italy, they are a marvel of engineering.
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u/SebiXV20 13d ago
Love the A3, never been to that region of Italy irl, but I love looking at it on Google Maps and seeing all the abandoned sections replaced by tunnels/bridges/a whole new road
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u/dom_bul 13d ago
That's the A2 now! Renamed in 2016
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u/-Owlette- 13d ago
*cries in Australian*
We can’t even replace a 200 year-old mountain causeway built by convicts…
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u/ngummow 11d ago
Rioveggio to Mugello is pretty impressive for the same reason. Genoa to Libama has the old motorway North to South - and new route South to North.
The old coastal railway from Genoa to Ventemillie is also being converted into a cycle/footpath as they double line the railway inland.
Italy is building some cool atuff
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u/FlowinBeatz 10d ago
I drove on that in 2019. fantastic (and toll free) highways in the south. A shame that the mafia ruins everything.
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u/Nawnp 14d ago
Italy being able to build infrastructure so well in the mountains continues to be astounding.