As reported by PanARMENIAN.net, medieval bridge in Garni will be reconstructed by funding of "U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP)". The beginning of construction works is planned in 2012. According to Deputy Minister of Culture Arev Samuelian, it's hard to say exactly how long it will take to repair the bridge, presumably from 1-1.5 years. In order to restore the medieval bridge AFCP committed US$ 110 thousand. Medieval bridge in Garni was built in 11th century on the river Azat. In 2010, by means of the budget of the RA some reconstruction work was carried out and was also set restoration projekt for the future. Since its approval by the U.S. Congress in fall 2000, the "U.S. Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation" has funded more than 640 cultural projects in over 100 countries, representing a contribution of nearly US$ 26 million towards the preservation of cultural heritage worldwide.

Work on the world's largest solar bridge formally begins, as the first of more than 4.400 solar panels are installed above the new "Blackfriars" station platform, reported The Guardian. When complete in 2012, the "Victorian" bridge will play host to some 6 thousand square meters of photovoltaic (PV) panels, making it London's largest solar array. The historic London site is undergoing a multi-million pound refit, which includes extending the platform along "Blackfriars Bridge", a structure built in 1886. "Solarcentury", the UK company, managing the installation, expects the panels to generate around 900,000kWh of electricity a year, providing half of the station's energy and reducing annual CO2 emissions by an estimated 511 tons. "Station buildings and bridges are fixed parts of our urban landscape and it is great to see that this one will be generating renewable energy every day into the future. For people to see that solar power is working is a vital step towards a clean energy future," said "Solarcentury" chief executive Derry Newman in a statement. Other energy saving measures, such as rain harvesting systems and sun pipes for natural lighting, are also being fitted at "Blackfriars", as part of Network Rail's plans to reduce carbon emissions by 25 percent per passenger kilometer by 2020. One other solar bridge is known to exist, "The Kurilpa" footbridge in Brisbane, Australia, although 16 thousand solar panels were laid on the top of a train tunnel in Belgium earlier this year.

As reported by Spiegel.de, Egypt has given the nod to plans for a gigantic bridge across the Red Sea. It would provide the first direct road link between Arab North Africa and the Middle East -- but the project could upset Israel and Jordan. Egypt and Saudi Arabia hope to construct a giant bridge spanning the Gulf of Aqaba for road and rail traffic. Officials at Egypt's Ministry of Transportation have confirmed to SPIEGEL that the project, under discussion since 1988, has finally been approved. Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf has reportedly put General Abdul Aziz, the chairman of the Arab Road Association, in charge of overseeing the project's implementation. The Gulf of Aqaba runs along the eastern edge of the Sinai Peninsula. Plans call for the 32 kilometer bridge to cross the narrow Strait of Tiran from Ras Nasrani, near the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, to Ras Hamid in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Parts of the bridge would be suspended. For the Arabs, the massive construction project would be a triumph. For the first time since 1948, when the modern state of Israel was founded, Arab states in North Africa would have a direct road link with fellow Arab states in the Middle East without having to cross Israeli territory. It would also reduce dependence on sometimes perilous ferry crossings over the Red Sea and Arab ports on the Mediterranean. Planners believe that tolls paid by millions of Muslim pilgrims on their way to holy sites in Saudi Arabia could make up for the roughly US$ 5 billion the bridge is expected to cost. They also believe the bridge will significantly increase the number of pilgrims. Five years ago, then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak abruptly put the monster project on ice shortly before construction began in response to security concerns voiced by neighboring Israel. This area of the Red Sea is highly important to Israel and Jordan as it provides them with access to the Indian Ocean.

As reported by chinadaily.com, the world's longest cross-sea bridge, spanning Jiaozhou Bay of Qingdao in East China's Shandong province, opened to traffic last week. The 41.58 kilometer, eight-lane Qingdao Jiaozhou Bay bridge, connecting the urban district of the city to its Huangdao district, cost US$ 2.3 billion. Construction started in May 2007. The bridge will shorten the route between the two centers by 30 kilometer, cutting travel time from more than 40 minutes to about 20 minutes. The bridge was built in four years, with several world records and national prizes achieved. Before that, it took more than 17 years for the authorities and experts to finish the exploration, planning, design and bidding for the project. According to telegraph.co.uk, the bridge is supported by more than 5,200 columns and was designed by the Shandong Gausu Group. The bridge is expected to carry over 30,000 cars a day. A staggering 450,000 tons of steel was used in its construction - enough for almost 65 Eiffel Towers - and 2.3 million cubic meters of concrete, equivalent to filling 3,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Chinese officials said that the bridge will be strong enough to withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, typhoons or the impact of a 300,000 tonne vessel. Previously, the longest cross-sea bridge in the world was the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway built in Louisiana back in the 1950s. China is already home to seven of the world's 10 longest bridges, including the world's lengthiest, the 163 kilometer Danyang-Kunshan rail bridge, which runs over land and water near Shanghai. And with Beijing pumping billions into boosting China's infrastructure, the Qingdao Bridge will not be the world's longest sea bridge for very long. In December 2009, work started on a 49.6 kilometer bridge that will link Zhuhai in southern Guangdong Province, China's manufacturing heartland, with the financial centre of Hong Kong. The project is expected to be completed in 2016.

According to Al Wasat newspaper of Bahrain, construction work of the causeway is expected to start before the end of 2011 and conclude in 2015. The total cost of Qatar-Bahrain Causeway, one of the longest bridges in the world, is likely to be in the tune of $5bn, which will be the largest amount of money spend on any causeway. Construction plans were delayed many times for new designs and amendments were introduced to the project. The causeway starts from Askar village located in the eastern side of Bahrain Island to Ras Ishairij in Qatar. The total cost is between $ 4,5-5,0bn and expected to rise to $5,5bn to meet the cost of new designs, construction materials and other development projects. Qatar-Bahrain causeway is of 40km length including four vehicle lanes and two railways. Consortium of Al Diyar Real Estate Company, Vinci Grand Projects, French Contracting Company, German Hochtief Company, Consolidated Contractors International Company in Greece and Middle East Dredging Company, will be in charge of construction work, the daily said. The causeway construction will help achieve economic integration and sustainable development between the two states. More investments from Qatar in terms of real estate and stock market will be attracted to revive business and development of eastern and south-east areas in Bahrain.