Webuild S p A : Romanian “Braila bridge” now over 55% of total works completed. It will be Europe's third longest suspended bridge

Milan, August 11, 2021 - Works continue on the construction of the Braila Bridge in Romani a, the suspension bridge over the Danube. The bridge stands out for its numerous records: 1,975 metres long, it will in fact be Romania's longest, and Europe's third longest suspension bridge too, due to its central span, which measures 1,120 metres in length. The work is carried out by Webuild (through Astaldi, now incorporated into Webuild), with a 60% share in the joint venture with IHI, the Japanese company that built the Akashi Kaiko, in Japan, the world's longest suspension bridge.

Construction works on the Braila Bridge have now reached an overall progress of over 55%, with completion expected by the end of 2022. Preparatory activities are now underway to build the bridge's two supporting cables, consisting of intertwining steel wires with a total length of about 40,000 km (the Earth's circumference). The deck has been made with segments to be sequentially assembled, and that are now practically ready, just like for Genoa's San Giorgio Bridge, but transported through spectacular river transport operations. They have been entirely built in Braila, in a very close Fincantieri Infrastructure plant, the Webuild partner that also built Genoa's San Giorgio Bridge. A further example of repeated collaboration, with a company that has gained experience in bridge construction activities, and precisely with Webuild.

The Braila Bridge contract, worth a total of approximately €485 million, includes the design and construction of a suspension bridge with four lanes, emergency lanes and pedestrian and cycle paths. On both sides, two 110-metre-long access viaducts will also be built (the measurement includes the anchoring block). Also planned, the construction of approximately 21 kilometres of connecting roads.

The Client is CNAIR, a State Company headed by the Romanian Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. Works are included in Romania's Transport Master Plan, and are financed with dedicated EU funds (POIM - European Programme).

This bridge is to be added to the many bridges and viaductsthat Webuild has built worldwide: a total of almost 1,000 km bridges, the equivalent of a single large bridge connecting Paris to Berlin. Among the recently built bridges, the Gerald Desmond Bridge, in Long Beach, California, completed in 2020, almost simultaneously with Genoa 's San Giorgio Bridge, in Italy, which during these very days celebrates its first anniversary since completion, and which has stood out for its collaborative model, which made it possible to complete the bridge in record time, also with very high quality and innovation standards.