The Smart Bridges program, which is now launching and aims to maintain the country’s aging infrastructure, is expected to serve as a lever to exert pressure on the regions and concessionaires.
More than 270 bridges are targeted by the program, which is being implemented by the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) with a total budget of 230 million euros.
After a year and a half of preparation, the program has begun operations, monitoring bridge safety with the help of technology.
Sensors have been installed along the length of the bridges, collecting data such as the maximum permitted limit for heavy vehicle traffic, as well as information that allows for the assessment of the structural condition and vulnerability of the bridges.
Consequently, the condition of each bridge is monitored in real time, enabling authorities to intervene when necessary.
One issue that arises, however, is whether the competent authority will accept the data—and consequently the obligation—to proceed with the necessary changes, something that will likely require significant funding.
When the alarm bell rings
Once the alarm is raised and the Region or the concessionaire is notified, they have a responsibility to take action, says a senior program official.
Since there is documented evidence of the problem and the responsible authority knows that we have a complete picture of what is actually happening, we consider it unlikely that they will not proceed with the necessary work, he adds.
Of the total number of bridges, approximately 100 belong to the railway network, with the rest being road bridges.
Funding for the program from the Recovery Fund is for three years.
The TEE’s 4 proposals
During a presentation of the program held yesterday, TEE President George Stassinopoulos noted that the project marks a shift in the prevailing mindset, as “we do not wait for a disaster to occur before acknowledging that a problem existed.”
Delving deeper into infrastructure issues, George Stassinopoulos then proposed four “specific, clear steps” for the government:
First, to make it mandatory for all infrastructure to be included in the National Infrastructure Registry, a system implemented by the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) that aims “to know exactly what we have and what condition it is in.”
Second, pre-earthquake inspections should be immediately expanded to cover all public buildings and critical infrastructure in the country.
Third, structural stability assessments of buildings should be linked to their energy retrofits and to every housing and renovation program, provided that strong financial incentives and subsidies are offered to owners.
Fourth, the smart bridge network should be immediately utilized as a dynamic tool for policy decisions and strategic planning.
In light of the project’s implementation, the President of the Technical Chamber of Greece emphasized that “state operations must be organized immediately and appropriately; there must be a clear, institutionalized operational model with specific roles for the Ministry of Infrastructure, Civil Protection, local government at both levels, and all relevant agencies, so that information can be immediately translated into action.”