Controversy Continues Over Traffic Changes in Colombare Neighborhood

Controversies over the mini traffic revolution in Colombare continue to flare, as the project that expanded the sidewalks and resulted in the transformation of the street into a one-way in the lake-bound direction nears completion.

The works cost approximately 2 billion euros, and the quality of the project is defended by Vice Mayor Mattinzoli. “We transformed the central part of via Colombare into a one-way street,” he says, “and the experiment has caused some problems and shifted some inconveniences onto other streets, as was feared.”

He adds, “We believe that, despite altering a situation that has been established for decades, the measure is sound and people will continue to stop. We want to keep the road free and the spaces created to experiment with the one-way system during the summer.”

Reactions from shopkeepers and residents

The first to disagree with the administrators are the shopkeepers who open their stores along the stretch of via Colombare that has become one-way, complaining about a drop in business of around 40 percent.

“There is no longer any passing traffic,” they say in unison, “and moreover, they want to introduce one-hour parking restrictions instead of the previously agreed half-hour limit.”

Now, in addition to shopkeepers, the residents of via Aldo Moro, via Bagner, and via Salvo d’Acquisto are protesting. These are streets that were once quiet residential areas but have now become obligatory routes for people leaving the Península di Catullo.