Despite its important lengththe great number of tributaries and the size of the hydrographic basin that followsThe Rio of the Amazons It is one of the few rivers – among the most important in the world – to have no crossing work between the two banksat no point along its travel. That is, there is no bridge which crosses the river throughout its development. But why? The factors are different, both linked to technical difficulties and a lack of necessity.
The characteristics of the Amazon Rio
The rio delle Amazoni is a river that develops from the west towards the east in Southern America, Leaving in the Atlantic. In particular, the development of the river in length involves The crossing of Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Its length is estimated to date a about 7000 km (6992 km to be exact), with an average flow of approximately 15 thousand cubic meters of water per second: It means that every second pass, for a given section of the river, about 15 thousand cubic meters of water! It is an impressive number, which is why it appears in fact The river in which the scope of largest water in the world flows.
As for the length, on the other hand, the rio of the Amazons compete for the longer river record in the world together with the Nilein Egypt: in fact, having a river many tributaries, the determination of the “precise point of the beginning“of the watercourse can have sensitive uncertainties, which therefore makes the exact definition of its length variable. This can then vary also due to the different seasonal conditions. For these reasons, having the two rivers similar extensions, A debate is open today, also scientific, on which of the two rivers is actually the longest in the world.
There are no bridges on the Amazon Rio: the reasons
There motivation certainly more obvious and simple to this coincidence is to be found in the lack of a real need to have constructions of this type. In fact, the road network that develops in the area is already relatively modest. This is also connected to the fact that In the territory there are few big inhabited centerswhich is why the demand for movement is certainly reduced, compared to what can happen, for example, near the Nile: the city of Cairo It is crossed by the Nile and practically divided two from its crossing. It must therefore use a dense network of infrastructure to make up for this geographical cut.
However, it is also true that, In addition to the problems of effective urbanizationconsequently in the substance of the lack of a dense transport network, The conditions to the outline Compared to which these works should be built I am not equally in favor of making them develop:
- In fact, an important problem related to the Playing capacity of the foundation lands Near the river. Although this is true in general, the problem is emphasized here by the important oscillations of the aquifer over the year. The technological choice would certainly lean towards the use of deep foundations, although it is to be understood how deep, due to the characteristics of the works in elevation to be carried out. However, it certainly remains a problem that can be overcome, with the necessary sector studies.
- A second problem, not least, is associated with climatic conditions and their variability during the year. Think, in particular, of the rainy events that characterize the famous rainy season: The plumber of the rio delle Amazon, that is The water level that defines the height of water inside the pelvis that we are studying, it can undergo considerable variations, such as to outline important altimetric constraints to the possible impalcato structures, as well as hydraulic problems in the design of elevation works.
- Consequently at the height of the water level of the river, there will also be a enlargement of the water section. This involves the need for an in -depth study to understand the actual positioning of the bridge elevation structures and their planimetric extension, so that it is sufficient to make up for the accumulation of water in the most dense periods of rainfall.

Nevertheless, although those previously listed are valid reasons To give an explanation to this particular coincidence, there are no documents or official studies of feasibility projects of infrastructure works in the crossing of the Amazon Rio, both with positive and negative meanings. Therefore, it is difficult to express a technical judgment without any case of a subjective vision on the subject. For this reason, Although these topics remain challengers from a technical point of viewprofessional skills and innovative analysis methodologies, combined with constantly evolving technology, do not exclude the possibility that it can be achieved, with appropriate precautions of the case, an infrastructure work that crosses the banks of the river along its path and guarantees adequate safety margins. Probably, as mentioned in the introduction, the real and only reason why today does not exist works of the genre is simply due to the fact that The economic investment to make them is not justified!