Corinth Canal features unique submersible road bridges

At the Corinth Canal in Greece, two submersible road bridges serve as a unique engineering solution to allow maritime traffic to pass through the isthmus. Located at the eastern end in Isthmia and the western end in Posidonia, these bridges do not lift like traditional drawbridges; instead, the entire road deck sinks beneath the water level to clear the path for vessels.

The canal, which is approximately 6.3 km long and connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf, allows ships to avoid a 400 km detour around the Peloponnese. While major highways cross the canal via high-altitude fixed bridges, these submersible structures facilitate local road and pedestrian access at sea level. In service since the mid-1980s, the bridges accommodate over 11,000 passages annually, primarily consisting of yachts, small cargo ships, and tourist boats.