Build a bridge to Gozo

Joe Xuereb

Oct 14th 2010, 12:24

Build a tunnel to Gozo so that Gozitan workers are not late for work on the occasional instance when the ferry is late leaving the hallowed ground of that magnificicent little island? A tunnel which would still leave the rain, and the puddles, and the potholes at Cirkewwa, a separate issue? This gets more and more hilarious.
I guess people think that a costly, very costly tunnel would be financed by the EU. Plus five billion euros to our neighbour to the south, paid annually, to keep our shores clean. Mela le!! Gets more surreal by the minute. But then, dreamers, especially in Gozo, must not be deprived of their dreams in the dreamy little gem of an isle. The isle where simple decisions have to be decided abroad as hands are tied. Is it any wonder that ferries don't sail on time. Something's got to give after all!

Mary Micallef

Oct 11th 2010, 15:26

We need a bridge or a tunnel or an alternative to the gozo ferry ASAP. This morning the 5am ferry left at 5.20am from mgarr gozo. You can imagine how all those gozitan workers felt and what they had to pass through because they arrived late at work. This has happened more than once. One would ask why don't they get an earlier ferry? You know why? : because the previous ferry is at 3.45 am and one has to wake up at least at 2.30. When one arrives at cirkewwa he has to run to the bus or car in rain and through puddles of water as there is no shelter. One can imagine what a nightmare it is to start a day of work. So please do something about it because it gets worse everyday.

Franco Farrugia

Oct 11th 2010, 10:35

Gozo is special and beautiful because it is 'cut off' from the mainland.
Link it by bridge or by fixed-wing, and you will be ringing its death-knell!
Leave Gozo alone - we have caused enough harm to our own mainland.

Alex Ciantar

Oct 11th 2010, 10:30

What an absurd and silly idea, even thinking of the tax payer’s money spent on such a stupid idea makes me cringe - and to see that most of you wasted your Sunday mornings writing on the design aspects of this bridge makes me weep with laughter ....especially the zigzag suggestion.........Malta diga falluta bridge bejn Malta u Ghawdex jonqos!!!!

Mario Borg

Oct 11th 2010, 09:12

Mr Camilleri i agree with you

Joe Xuereb

Oct 11th 2010, 08:52

What a childish letter!
A bridge would stop Gozo(?) or Malta(?) being insular. The two islets joined together would be a slightly larger island and as insular as ever.
What is needed is a half-decent transport service to Cirkewwa and a decent ferry-service. And yes, I can imagine the Maltese taking the kitchen-sink when they travel to Gozo for a break. Maybe they could learn to leave the sink at home.
I know of two countries at least that use ferries as a matter of course. Greece and its islands, and Turkey. Joining to pieces of small rocks by a very costly bridge is hardly practical. Of course it would be nice to be able to WALK to Gozo on a windy day but that is only a dream. And some dreams are best left as dreams. Unfortunately, many Maltese cannot get over the fact that their country is tiny. Ideally, they'd have a bridge to Sicily. But sensible, pragmatic people that they are, they realise that would be a bridge too far.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Bridge_Too_Far_(film)

James A. Tyrrell

Oct 10th 2010, 22:20

@Steve Zammit. I agree with you Steve but if it ever came down to a clear choice between an airstrip and a bridge I'd go with the bridge. Gozo will only become like Malta if the people who truly care about the island stop caring and let it happen.

Pule' Carmel

Oct 10th 2010, 20:39

Building an airstrip in Gozo. there are various designs to chose from. I could introduce a steam catupult and arrestor wires for the shortest possible take off and landing!
Shorter still would be a perching cable on which the aircraft would change from flying to hovering by hanging on its own propellor and slowly move towards the perching steel cable on which it would engage. We could have STOL aircraft design or the many vertical take off design used throughout the years including the POGO design .This latter one I believe the test pilot was a brave man indeed.
There are other options as the C130 taking off and landing using the support of very powerful rockets to assist the main engines on take of and brakes during landing!! I once saw one of these landing and the Pilot switched on the braking rockets while he was still in the air. Indeed it was a short landing but an undesireable one for the plane and the passengers alike.

Steve Zammit

Oct 10th 2010, 20:06

Thanks BUT NO thanks!

The reason why I visit Gozo year in year out because it is a unique island with beautiful countryside. Building a bridge will only make Gozo become like Malta-Destroying it!

Not to mention what an eyesore it will be and the great disturbance to local nature in the Gozo Channel.

Come on don't be lazy and just use the local ferry like the rest of us!

James A. Tyrrell

Oct 10th 2010, 19:51

@Pule' Carmel. Interesting concept Pule' but the main problem would be the expense involved which was why I suggested that tidal turbines be incorporated into the design. It would be interesting if someone with more knowledge in this field could come up with a power output for such a design.

Gerard Cassar

Oct 10th 2010, 19:16

Constructing a bridge between Malta and Goo must take into account the strait between the islands. What will be the consequences if it is bridged with no link between the two sides of the sea. I am saying this because what we might call a bridge will be a causeway.
The construction of the St Elmo foot bridge will be the sole reponsibility of Maltese architects this shows that there are Maltese architects able to construct a bridge in the midle of the sea, A causeway could of course be built in two or more sections linked by one or two iron bridges but the construction of one or two bridges in plain middle of the strait could create a financial obstacle.

D Delia

Oct 10th 2010, 18:23

Is there anyone advocating for the bridge is willing to foot the bill for around 22,000 people? Is the ferry not sufficient?
Besides we already have a problem to build a windfarm due to the sea depths let alone build a bridge.

Pule' Carmel

Oct 10th 2010, 16:50

I would design such a bridge in the following manner. If straight, it would be long and narrow, and so to avoid the effect of side thrust and horizontaloscillations in very windy condition it would be better to zig zag it in portions or 4sections set at an angle of say 10 degrees. with such a design wind side thrust would not push it out of line as when it is straight.
he first section jutting from Cirkewwa , would be suspended by triangular wire braces tied to its central single tower with its base in the sea bottom. After traversing the first section, the second section would be similar but not inline, it would be angled to it which would land you on the terra firma at Kemmuna. Traversing Kemmuna this design would be repeated on to Mgarr.So the whole bridge would be four section ZigZagging along the two sea portions to be traversed.
The triangular braces would be better than the old hyperbolicsuspension bridges, as they would control vertical oscillations while the zigzag connected sections would avoid lateral oscillations. Instead of a horizontal flat zigzag, a flatcircular one would be nicer but it would involve more structural headaches.

V Falzon

Oct 10th 2010, 16:13

Dear Godfrey, if you live in Malta (indeed, on this planet) then you should know that there is no such thing as a "rigid proviso". Rules change and goalposts move with the whims of the politicians of the day.

When I was a kid I "loved" Gozo so much that I wanted a bridge built so we could go there not once a year but every weekend. Now that I am older and - hopefully - wiser, I have realised that what preserves Gozo's identity is that small stretch of Mediterranean that separates it from Malta.

May it always stay that way.

VICTOR RODENAS

Oct 10th 2010, 16:00

Mr.Camillieri ,i think that you must be joking.Building a bridge between Malta and Gozo will cost 1000% more than an airstrip ,one also has to consider maintenace as well.IT IS USELESS TALKING ABOUT THE BRIDGE AFTER ALL...IT WILL NEVER BE BUILT.

Saviour Cremona

Oct 10th 2010, 15:55

Yes I am positively sure that a bridge would solve many problems that we on gozo meet every day. Also for all those who cross everyday to and from Malta would save them a lot of time and please don't come with the idea that Gozo will lose its charm and heritage beacause without the one will on slow the process. So sure the bridge is the only feasible connection to Malta, but as everything else that has to be done for the benefit of Gozo its only words because Gozo is god for the way it is ;back office work, one day trippers and an ideal island for people who want to retire . What is going to happen to our CHILDREN.

James A. Tyrrell

Oct 10th 2010, 15:29

@Franco J Scicluna. As I have said numerous times in the past Franco the air service idea has already been looked at and been found to be financially unsustainable unless you know better than the experts who compiled the reports.

As for the bridge idea I believe that it would be a very expensive project but given the appropriate EU funding and the right design it would certainly solve the problem that a lot of people seem to think exists. With a sensible level of toll charges the bridge would generate income on a daily basis. Another idea would be to incorporate tidal turbines into the design, which would be in keeping with the Eco-Gozo concept we keep hearing about as well as going towards reducing the entire islands carbon footprint.

David Hill

Oct 10th 2010, 14:11

The second Severn crossing that joins England to Wales is a bridge about the same length as would be required to join Malta to Gozo at 5,128m.
This bridge was built 1992 to 1996 and when finished cost 300 million GBP (aprox 343 million euro).
I should think at todays costs that would be almost double, and remember to build the UK bridge almost all materials could be brought to site by road, where as to build the bridge to Gozo most of the materials would have to be imported thus raising the cost further.
That money would build many airports the size required for Gozo.

Franco J Scicluna

Oct 10th 2010, 11:01

Having an airstrip in Gozo in place ,is far from expensive to that of building a bridge. An air service to and fro from Gozo to Malta International Airport would serve mostly any one needing the service.In this day and age I am sure it would be feasible.Haveing said that I also agree 100% to have a bridge.Gozo has been left in the dark ages for far too long now.