Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel
The Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel is a part of the Pan-Euran Highway located in Constancia, consisting of a 312.65 km bridge-tunnel system with three cable-stayed bridges, an undersea tunnel, and several artificial islands that cross the Gulf of Aqaba, connecting the city of Astérapolis, on the island of Idolgi, with the mainland. The bridge-tunnel provides uninterrupted freeway traffic flow, replacing the previous configuration where a system of ferries and transports constantly ferried freight and passengers back and forth between Astérapolis and the rest of the country. The total cost of the project was €107.16 billion New Alexandrian écu.
Since its completion in 1720 AN, the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel has become a crucial infrastructure link facilitating transport across the entire continent of Eura, particularly between Nouvelle Alexandrie, Constancia, Oportia, and Zeed. On average, the bridge-tunnel carries 150,000 vehicles per day, including 12,000 freight trucks and 200 trains. Annually, over 54 million vehicles traverse the structure, making it one of the busiest transportation corridors in all of Eura. The Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel has significantly reduced travel times and costs for both passengers and freight, boosting economic growth and integration in the region.
History
The idea for the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel project was first proposed in 1691 AN by a group of engineers and investors from Constancia and Nouvelle Alexandrie. They formed the first Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel Consortium to oversee the planning and development of the project. However, the project quickly met with prominent opposition from Thanasis Agnakos of Agnakos Transport, the owner of one of the largest ferry companies in Astérapolis. Agnakos believed competition from a publicly owned bridge-tunnel system would reduce revenues for his company and the Astérapolis ferry transport industry in general.
In 1692 AN, Agnakos filed lawsuits in both Constancian and New Alexandrian courts, alleging that the project violated antitrust laws and unfairly disadvantaged private ferry operators. The legal battle was fierce, with Agnakos' team of lawyers arguing that the government-backed project would create a monopoly and drive private ferry companies out of business. The Consortium, along with the governments of Constancia and Nouvelle Alexandrie, countered that the project was necessary for the economic development of the region and would ultimately benefit all businesses by increasing trade and travel.
The court proceedings were lengthy and complex, with both sides presenting extensive evidence and expert testimony. The project was effectively shelved during this time, as the Consortium and the governments were forced to spend significant resources defending themselves in court. After years of litigation, the High Court of the Realm of Constancia ultimately ruled in favor of the Consortium in 1701 AN, stating that the project did not violate antitrust laws and was in the public interest. The court also noted that private ferry companies would still have a role to play in the region's transportation network, even with the existence of the bridge-tunnel. Despite this setback, Agnakos vowed to continue fighting the project, but his subsequent appeals were denied, and the legal battle was effectively over.
In 1693 AN, a Thraci territorial expansion led to its relations with the rest of the Pan-Euran Highway participants souring, dashing hopes of securing the initial Pan-Euran Highway route which connected through the Thraci Confederation. During diplomatic talks in Fontainebleau, Alduria, the route of the Pan-Euran Highway was revised to pass through the Southern Aldurian Riviera and enter Constancia north of Arak. The territorial expansion by the Thraci Confederation led to significant interest developing around the development of the project, with the Consortium commissioning several surveys of the Gulf of Aqaba and the area around the island of Idolgi in 1694 AN and 1697 AN.
In 1705 AN, the Euran Economic Union intervened to revive the stalled project. A new Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel Consortium was formed, consisting of public and private entities from Nouvelle Alexandrie and Constancia, along with several private companies from both nations. Construction on the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel finally began in 1710 AN, nearly two decades after the project was first proposed. The Consortium, with heavy financial and technical support from the governments of Nouvelle Alexandrie and Constancia, as well as private firms, worked tirelessly to bring the project to fruition.
However, the construction process was not without its challenges. The project faced numerous delays due to unforeseen geological issues, particularly in the undersea tunnel portion. These setbacks, combined with rising material costs and labor disputes, led to significant cost overruns. The initial budget of €80 billion New Alexandrian écu ballooned to €107.16 billion by the time the project was completed.
Despite these difficulties, the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel Consortium persevered, and after a decade of construction, the entire project was successfully completed in 1720 AN. The opening of the bridge-tunnel was celebrated as a monumental achievement, providing a vital transportation link.
Design
Cross-section of tunnel design, 1st proposal (1694 AN).
Cross-section of tunnel design, 2nd proposal (1694 AN).
Design of support trestles for the bridge portions of the design (1694 AN).
Proposed design for the cable-stayed bridge portions of the design (1694 AN).
Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel Consortium
The Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel Consortium (ABTC) is a multi-national corporation that is a public-private partnership between Nouvelle Alexandrie, Constancia, and 28 private contractors and companies in all of those nations. The Euran Economic Union and its headquarters at Fontainebleau, Nouvelle Alexandrie serves as the meeting place for the ABTC and its officials and representatives. The Consortium was responsible for administering the construction of the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel. Now that the bridge is complete, the ABTC manages the bridge-tunnel system's operation, including setting and collecting tolls via a build-operate-transfer scheme.
Fares and Transit Fees
Since its completion in 1720 AN, the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel has become a major source of revenue for the Consortium and the governments of Nouvelle Alexandrie and Constancia. The Consortium has implemented a dynamic pricing system for fares and transit fees, which takes into account factors such as vehicle type, peak travel times, and maintenance costs. As of 1730 AN, the average fare for a passenger vehicle is €15 New Alexandrian écu, while freight trucks are charged based on their weight and size, with an average fee of €50 per truck.
Given the high volume of traffic on the bridge-tunnel, with an average of 150,000 vehicles per day, including 12,000 freight trucks and 200 trains, the annual revenue generated from fares and transit fees is substantial. In its second year of operation in 1721 AN alone, the Consortium reported revenue of €1.2 billion from passenger vehicles, €219 million from freight trucks, and €73 million from trains, totaling €1.492 billion. The Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel has consistently generated annual revenues exceeding €1.5 billion since then, with a peak of €1.8 billion in 1728 AN. This steady stream of income has allowed the Consortium to cover its operational costs, pay back its initial investors, and invest in regular maintenance and upgrades to ensure the longevity and safety of the structure.
Criticisms
Thanasis Agnakos
Thanasis Agnakos sued the governments of Constancia and Nouvelle Alexandrie to stop the advance of the proposal when it was first proposed in 1691 AN. He released a proposal to build more ferry connections (which he would have owned) instead. Industry insiders and former employees suggest that Agnakos was incensed by the possibility of losing profits from reduced ferry crossings as more and more people decide to take a train or drive through the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel and connect them directly to Astérapolis.
White elephant project
Critics in Constancia and in Nouvelle Alexandrie have attacked the estimated cost of the project as too much, arguing that it was a waste of taxpayers' money. To support their arguments, they point to the early designs of the bridge-tunnel system, which proposed restrictive criteria for drivers to use the bridge with their own vehicles.
Despite these criticisms, the successful completion and opening of the Astérapolis Bridge-Tunnel in 1720 AN has provided a crucial transportation link, greatly improving connectivity and economic opportunities in the region.
