Venice bridge architect fined nearly $130K because design can’t handle tourist crowds

The man who designed a famous bridge in Venice, which is used by thousands of tourists each year, has been slapped with a hefty fine.

A Spanish architect has been fined more than $A130,000 because a Venetian canal bridge he built cannot support the number of tourists who flood the historic city each year, according to a report.

Santiago Calatrava, 61, was hit with the hefty fine after a Roman court ruled earlier this month that he committed “macroscopic negligence” when he built the glass and steel bridge in 2008, The New York Times reported.

Venice cityscape and The Constitution Bridge (Ponte della Costituzione) over the Grand Canal from above.

According to the court, the construction required constant maintenance due to the volume of tourists travelling with luggage, which officials Calatrava should have considered when designing the bridge.

Calatrava’s glass steps were designed to be replaced after 20 years, however, after only four years, eight of them needed to be replaced, the Times reported. This cost the city nearly $A60,000.

Complaints about the structure also include the lack of safety when it rains because the glass becomes extremely slippery.

The bridge was budgeted at $A11.3 million but cost almost $A20 million at its completion.

This article originally appeared on Fox News and has been republished with permission

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