The completion of the “Smart Bridges Regions” within the limits of the Recovery Fund, confirmed State Minister of Infrastructure, Nikos Tachias.
In response to a question about the programme implemented by the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE), Mr. Tahiaos explained that the project concerns the monitoring and recording of the condition of 390 bridges in the country in real time.
About 80% of the smart bridges projects
The implementation of the six executive contracts already signed extends to all 13 regions of the country and is progressing according to the schedule required by the Recovery and Resilience Fund. To date, approximately 80% of the physical scope of the project has been implemented and the completion of all interventions is expected by 30 June 2026.
“The project will be fully interoperable with any other system being developed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport for the Register of Public Infrastructure and for the Register of Bridges,” the deputy minister noted, stressing that the programme is an important institutional and technical breakthrough for the country.
As Tachias said, “The inspection of bridges will now be systematic. The bodies responsible for them will now be accountable for their condition.” At the same time, he noted that cooperation and consultation with the Regions, which are responsible for the majority of the country’s bridges, will follow in order to organize the full operation of the system.
Tachiaos: Timely intervention critical for infrastructure
Referring to infrastructure maintenance overall, the deputy minister said that monitoring and timely intervention are critical for the long-term safety and functionality of projects. Using the Egnatia Odos as an example, he stressed that experience has proven that “the total cost of a project must include the cost of its maintenance, and this increases as the infrastructure ages and as heavy maintenance is not carried out systematically.”
“Monitoring the quality of a road and a bridge is not a simple process. It is a complex and ongoing responsibility,” he said, noting that systematic data recording will now allow for more effective planning of maintenance and interventions.
He made special reference to the role of the Greek Technical Chamber of Greece (TEEE), which is implementing the project, noting that it is the one that has the necessary technical knowledge and scientific competence for the development of such a demanding monitoring system.
Closing his statement, the Deputy Minister underlined the Government’s commitment to the implementation of the project, stating that it is the one that proceeded both in the creation of the Administrative Authority for Bridges and in the formulation of the institutional framework for the systematic monitoring and maintenance of the country’s bridges.
As he said, “it is she who will develop this work over time, so that citizens feel safe and so that all those who have the responsibility of maintaining bridges can implement their obligation,” thus laying the foundations of a universal mechanism for overseeing public infrastructure.
