Brescia and Trento Seek Solutions for Gardesana Road and Tunnel Project

United on the project of the tunnel, divided on the need to reopen Gardesana in the short term. The Provinces of Brescia and Trento are seeking a compromise in solving the issues with Route 45 bis. The two entities will meet again after the holidays to evaluate the situation in a summit convened by President Alberto Cavalli.

Interventions and Implementation Timelines

Meanwhile, on January 3rd, on the Brescia side, provincial and Garda administrators will conduct an inspection with a team of technicians. The initiative is led by the President of the Montagna Community, Bruno Faustini.

The design of the new tunnel in Rocchetta di Riva will be completed by the Province of Trento in a maximum of 150 days. Since the project involves a expenditure of 75 billion lire, it will require a European tender process, adding another 5 or 6 months. Therefore, they expect to start actual construction work, hopefully without unforeseen delays.

All in all, the completion of the project by 2002 (as projected) appears certain. The clarification comes from Marco Tonini, secretary to the Public Works assessor of the Province of Trento, Sergio Casagranda, who has been engaged in the usual late-year government meetings these days.

“It is unacceptable for Gardesana to remain closed until 2002 because it would mean crippling tourism in the upper Garda,” replies Provincial Public Works assessor Mauro Parolini, who has been in constant contact since the early landslides with the Mayor of Limone and the leaders of the Garda Community.

“We agree with the tunnel solution proposed by Trento but will also try to have the state road repaired quickly, including through emergency measures.”

Costs, estimated at 2 billion lire, are in fact the projected expenses for securing Gardesana in that section.

Tonini, however, analyzes the matter starting from July 1, 1998, when the Trento state roads were transferred to provincial management.

“We commissioned a technical report that did not previously exist. Then, in February ’99, there was a landslide that resulted in one fatality, and recently we commissioned another geological report. The findings are clear: the entire Gardesana section is unmanageable. Consequently, we believe the state road is impassable.”

From there, the decision was made to “prepare the only solution that avoids risking public safety: the tunnel, which we will proceed with swiftly.”

But the timelines are those described at the beginning, and in the meantime, a heated debate has erupted on the Brescia side of Lake Garda. In Trento, they see it this way: “The inconvenience, unfortunately, can be imagined, but favoring the reopening of the current Gardesana would be risky. Who is willing to assume such a human and legal liability? Objectively, anyone with a sense of responsibility cannot do otherwise than seek solutions within the terms we propose.”

During the long period of tunnel construction, will transit be allowed for some vehicles?

“The road is unsafe both due to material looming overhead and the section between the roadway and the lake, which offers little security. For this reason, we will limit transit to rescue and civil protection vehicles, for which we will free up part of the state road.”

“Let’s not forget that the same company operating on that section of road will work under objectively dangerous conditions,”

Tonini briefly responds to Brescia protests, stating that “the danger in that area is well known. Local administrations had ample time to prepare alternative services, but little was done in this regard. On our part, we have done our part.”

The core issue remains the tourist economy of Brescia’s Garda, which, given these premises, risks collapsing, as both local authorities and tourism operators have recently pointed out.

In this regard, the “Riviera dei Limoni” Consortium has issued a strong statement.

From Trento, however, they do not even want to hear about a reopening under conditions that do not ensure safety.

Instead, they propose alternative solutions such as enhancing lake transport services via ferries. Additionally, “solutions should be sought through contacts between Brescia officials and our competent departments, such as Tourism.”

“Certain issues,” explains Tonini, “are not under the jurisdiction of this department, and we have suggested to the Mayor of Limone to activate cooperation with the President of the Trento Regional Government in January to study urgent measures to address the emergency.”

And Anas should also play its part in Brescia’s territory, and collaboration between Anas and the Province of Trento would be advisable.”