Residents Continue to Use This Damaged Bridge as It’s Faster Than Taking the Detour

      LarissaNet via YouTube

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      No one enjoys sitting in traffic, but drivers in central Greece are taking drastic measures to minimize their travel time. Residents of Larissa and the nearby farming areas are utilizing a bridge that collapsed nearly three years ago, as it offers a shorter route than the designated detour.

      According to local media outlet LarissaNet (via Carscoops), the situation began with Storm Daniel, which struck Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Libya in September 2023, causing thousands of casualties and significant destruction to infrastructure. In Thessaly, the north-central Greek administrative region where Larissa is located, 79 bridges were lost. One of those was the Palaeopyrgos Bridge over the Pineios River.

      However, it seems that the condition of the bridge isn’t enough to discourage impatient motorists. We’re not referring to a complete collapse where the bridge no longer exists. Instead, the bridge has sagged significantly, resembling a paper plate at a backyard barbecue, with the middle section dipping close to the water but not actually collapsing. It remains connected to the sections on either end, allowing drivers to cross without testing their vehicles' water-fording capabilities.

      That’s precisely what locals are doing. Drone footage shared by LarissaNet captures a Ford Ranger driving into the dip and back up the other side as if on a manufacturer’s test track. The driver appears unfazed by the fact that the bridge, unsupported for almost three years, could potentially fall into the river at any moment.

      The incentive for this risky behavior is heightened because, according to local news reports, the only alternative route across the river is a slow detour to the National Highway. Farmers are reluctant to waste time and fuel on the safer path, and local authorities aren’t taking significant action to discourage them. Although traffic is officially prohibited from using the collapsed bridge, there are no physical barriers or police presence to enforce this. Moreover, navigation systems reportedly still direct drivers to the bridge.

      Even though funding to rebuild the bridge may not be available, one would expect the local government to take more measures to prevent motorists from using it as an unofficial river crossing. Hopefully, the spreading video footage online will prompt officials to take action before a rescue operation becomes necessary.

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