Updated
Updated · The Drive · Jul 19
Larissa Drivers Keep Using 1 Collapsed Bridge Despite 3-Year Pineios River Failure
Updated
Updated · The Drive · Jul 19

Larissa Drivers Keep Using 1 Collapsed Bridge Despite 3-Year Pineios River Failure

3 articles · Updated · The Drive · Jul 19

Summary

  • Drone footage shows Larissa-area drivers still crossing the Palaeopyrgos Bridge, whose center section has sagged to within inches of the Pineios River after its 2023 collapse.
  • The risky shortcut persists because the only alternative is a slower detour to the national highway, adding time and fuel costs for residents and farmers.
  • Traffic is officially banned on the bridge, but authorities have not sealed it off with barriers or police, and navigation apps reportedly still direct motorists there.
  • Storm Daniel destroyed 79 bridges across Thessaly in September 2023; nearly three years later, the Larissa crossing remains unrepaired and still in use.

Insights

With EU funds available, why are drivers still using a collapsed Greek bridge three years after the storm?
Could your navigation app unknowingly route you over a dangerously broken bridge in a developed country?