Tsakona Arch Bridge, Arch bridge in Oichalia, Greece
The Tsakona Arch Bridge is a multi-span arch bridge 490 metres long, carrying the Paradeisia–Tsakona section of the Tripoli–Kalamata motorway across the Tsakona Valley near Megalopoli in Arcadia. It rests on three supports: an abutment at each end and a large prefabricated pier near the valley top. From the pier rise two arches, one per side, reaching a maximum height of 30 metres and carrying the steel deck with the roadway.
Construction began in 2008 and took eight years to complete, with the bridge opening in 2016. This project was important for connecting the regions of Tripolis and Kalamata through the A7 motorway.
The bridge carries the Paradeisia–Tsakona section of the Tripoli–Kalamata motorway, managed by the Moreas consortium after delivery to the Greek state. Project leader Nikos Donas ranked it among the hardest engineering works after the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge. Its name comes from the Tsakona valley it crosses near Megalopoli.
The bridge is easily accessible via the A7 motorway and can be viewed from passing vehicles or from the surrounding hillsides. For a closer look at its structure, stop at viewing areas near the valley.
The final cost reached €131.5 million against an initial budget of €94 million, largely because the original studies underestimated the unstable ground. Project leader Nikos Donas ranked the bridge among the hardest engineering jobs after the Charilaos Trikoupis Bridge at Rion-Antirion.
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