President Abdel Fattah El Sisi inaugurated "Tahya Masr" Axis and the cable stayed bridge over the River Nile which enlisted in Guinness World Records as the world's widest bridge reached 67.36m width equal to 221 feet.
This was in the presence of the Prime Minister, the Presidential Assistant for the national and strategic projects, the ministers of: defence, planning, electricity, military production, transport and housing; Major General Ehab Mohammed El Far – the Head of the Engineering Authority for the Armed Authority, Eng. Mohsen Salah – CEO and Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company.
The inauguration started by the reciting of verses from the Holy Quraan by the reciter Sheikh Ahmed Tameem El Maraghy. Then, there was a documentary movie provided by the Moral Affairs of the Armed Forces entitled "the Hopes Arteries" which demonstrate the building phases of the axis which implemented by the Arab Contractors Company under the supervision of the Engineering Authority for the Armed Authority; that it will contribute in facilitating the traffic movement in Cairo.
During the inauguration President Abdel Fattah El Sisi stated that the axis contributes in facilitating the traffic for the users of the cars in the areas known to congestion.
It is considered one of the radical solutions to traffic crises.
He added that the expenditures spent during the four years may not be expended once again due to the high cost at the present time.
Then, Eng. Mohsen Salah – CEO and Chairman of the AC delivered a speech in which he stressed that since the accession of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi the responsibility, Egypt witnessed a comprehensive renaissance in all fields especially in the implementation of a large number of mega projects in a few years.
Consequently, it is contributed to the provision of millions of jobs opportunities and creates a new development map in Egypt, which has become a successful experience and a role model for many countries in the region and the worldwide. He added that the continuous support of President El Sisi has the greatest impact in spreading the challenge and motivating the company to create new business areas and increase the company's competitiveness with major international companies in Africa and the Arab region.
Since, we were commissioned to construct "Tahya Masr" Axis in 2016… the work is in a continuous cycle for 24 hours and did not stop at any holidays especially in the context of the succession of the religious and the national occasions. He stated that the second phase of the axis will extend from west of the Ring Road passing the west of the River Nile, El Waraq island and the east of the River Nile till the east of Shoubra with a total length 17.2km on 2 directions and varied width from 48 to 67.36m.
Eng. Mohsen Salah declared that glass pavements constructed in Egypt for the first time on both sides of the axis, to give an additional aesthetic touch beside the allocation of a glass walkway on both sides of the bridge that enable the passenger to see the Nile.
Thus, it turns into a new touristic destination aimed at maximizing the benefit of the axis and not limited to an axis for transportation. The Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company added that today we celebrate the completion of this achievement and having 4000 engineers, technicians and young workers with a wide spectrum of experience in the implementation of this type of bridges, the use of modern equipment and machinery, and the transfer of modern technology of bridge industry in Egypt.
The engineering crews responsible for the implementation of the bridge faced many difficulties with Egyptian engineering innovations; we overcome the challenges and were committed to the time schedules.
For example of these innovation: the design and implementation of movement systems that carrying weights up to 250 tons for the movement and transfer of metal beams from the assembly areas to the installation areas; besides the innovation and manufacturing of advanced lifting to control the installation of metal beams with the bridge structure which allowing the movement in all directions with great accuracy.
Eng. Salah pointed out that the metal beams is lifting by the lifting and leveling systems in less than 10 hours which is considered less than the international rates.
In addition to these innovations, there is the manufacturing of 2 ferryboats with a capacity reached to 600 tons to accommodate the heavy equipment.
Besides, the use of 200 cranes with capacity varied from 7 to 600 tons.
The Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company declared that by comparing between "Tahya Masr" Axis which represents 110% of October Bridge, we find out that the duration for the construction of October Bridge expanded for 17 years while the work in "Tahya Masr" Axis took 4 years.
It is based on 6 giant columns with 160 cables connected to it, these cable has steel wires with a total length 1400km in addition to 1 million m3 of concrete and 290000 tons of iron.
Eng. Mohsen added that there are special metal segment manufactured and installed inside the towers to install the cables on the concrete towers.
These works carried out by Egyptian workers according to the highest quality and accuracy.
He stated that to assure the project execution with the highest quality, there was inspection and quality assurance process done by specialized Egyptian offices and one of the international offices.
Besides, there was test for all the cables cargos and its requirement which used for the bridge, these tests carried out in the biggest laboratories abroad to assure that it is according to the international standards.
The Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company finalized his speech that the real benefit from this giant achievement is preparing a generation from the young engineers and workers able to resume the building and development process and their slogan will always by “Tahya Masr”.
Major General Ehab Mohammed El Far – the Head of the Engineering Authority for the Armed Forces said that “Tahya Masr” Axis is a new achievement added to the achievements record which exerted to have a comprehensive renaissance for the state.
He pointed out that this day was chosen for the inauguration of this project as coincidence with Egypt and the Armed Forces’ celebration with the 10th of Ramadan memorial anniversary.
He added that roads’ achievements representing the national wellness which expanding urbanization allover our country.
The planning for roads and bridges network done on a record time to attract investment, creating new integrated urban communities and facilitating the movement between the production and consumption areas and the exporting ports.
The Head of the Engineering Authority for the Armed Forces declared that the cost of the roads projects inaugurated today by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi reached 164 billion EGP. He replied on President Abdel Fattah El Sisi that this cost could increase to the triple if the construction of these projects starts in the present time…that it will be 400 billion EGP.
He added that today we are celebrating the inauguration of one of the mega national project in Egypt in the modern time, which is the construction of “Tahya Masr” Axis to resume El Zaafarana - Matrouh Axis which linking between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea starting from El Zaafarana passing El Jalala Road with a length of 82km, then Cairo-Al Ain Al Sokhna Road with a length of 106km, the Martyr “Al Shaheed” Axis with a length of 4km;in addition to the extension of Al Mosheer Axis for 8km to El Fangry Axis for 8km.
He pointed out that “Tahya Masr” Axis extends from the west of the Ring Road passing the west of the River Nile and above El Waraq Island and the east of the River Nile until reaching east of Shoubra…its length is 17km.
“Tahya Masr” Axis has 12 higher bridges, the bridge of the Ring Road intersection, a concrete bridge which has 8 inlets and outlets to serve the traffic movement from Shoubra direction to the Ring Road and vice versa; the west River Nile bridge is a concrete bridge above the River Nile with a length of 370m, main navigation slots with 120m width and sub navigational slots with 70m width; El Waraq Island bridge with a length of 1900m and 48m width passing over El Waraq Island bridge. Major General Ehab El Far stated that the Egyptians wrote down a new chapter of the Challenges’ chapters by finalizing “Tahya Masr” bridge to connect the sector above El Waraq Island with Shoubra above the River Nile, the last concrete segment of it was installed on 14th April 2019 in the presence of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
He pointed out that the bridges in Shoubra aim at serving the traffic movement for the comer from Corniche El Nile, Shoubra, Nasr City, Heliopolis, Shoubra El Kheima, El Sawah and El Amiriya.
He said that “Tahya Masr” bridge was enlisted in Guinness World Records as the world's widest cable stayed bridge, its width reached 67,36m (2 directions), 6 traffic lanes with 540m length, the width of the navigational slots beneath the bridge is 300m which is the biggest navigational slot on the River Nile. The bridge was equipped with a pedestrian walkway on both sides.
He added that this bridge is expected to be one of the touristic destinations, it includes 6 concrete towers, and each tower is 92m height.
In order to implement this bridge we use 1 million m3 of concrete, 290000 tons of iron which equivalent to the construction of 1000 residential buildings.
He pointed out that this project executed by the joint venture of national companies under the supervision of the Engineering Authority for the Armed Forces and the technical support of international companies.
He declared that more than 4000 Egyptian engineers and workers participated in the bridge construction with the aid of some foreign experts in limited technical works for transferring experience.
He said that “Tahya Masr” bridge is not only an engineering achievement but also a certificate of the abilities of the Egyptian engineers, technicians and workers.
He added that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s persistence on the construction of this huge amount of giant national projects on record times instills the insistence and the challenging spirit in the Egyptian people to reach a better future for the coming generation.
Then, Mr. Talal Omar – the Regional Director for the Guinness World Records in the Middle East handed over GWR certificate to Eng. Mohammed Mohsen Salah – CEO and Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company which executed the project of “Tahya Masr” cable stayed bridge as the world's widest cable stayed bridge with a total width 67,36m equivalent to 221 feet; then they shake hands with President Abdel Fatah El Sisi who expressed his happiness with this achievement.