The Rion Antirion Bridge is a landmark in a new era for Greece, said prime minister Costas Simitis during a visit to inspect construction this week. He predicted that the suspension bridge will help fuel development in western Greece, creating thousands of jobs and opportunities in tourism. Simitis said that the project was progressing at record speed. The Olympic torch relay is scheduled to pass over the new bridge in August, with the contract’s completion due at the end of this year.