Gardesana Road Renovation Costs Rise Amid Tendering Challenges

Over five hundred million more for the renovation and furnishing works of the Gardesana state road, a project now costing just under four billion lira. This is the most significant decision made during the latest session of the municipal council in the small lakeside town. However, this additional expenditure, although ultimately approved unanimously by the twelve councilors present, sparked discussions about the appropriateness of the financial maneuver and, especially, about the reasons that made it necessary. According to the plans outlined by the administrators several months ago, and following the publication of the European tender for the contract of the “urban renovation and furnishing works of via Gardesana” during the summer of 2001, the municipal councilors were confident they could begin one of the most important public works of the last decade as early as November. Instead, the municipal administration had to deal with an unexpected problem: the tender for the works, issued in early September, was declared deserted. Despite the project’s total of three billion and 400 million lira, “no company chose to participate in the August notice,” as explained by Mayor Alberto Vedovelli. To clarify the underlying reasons that might have led companies to this decision, a technical report from the designer was read by the delegated councilor Alberto Tomei. According to this, “local businesses have already exhausted their capacity by engaging in other projects.” Moreover, “since the tender was published in summer, many companies on holiday might not have considered it.” Lastly, the area reportedly has only “medium-small-sized companies, which therefore lack the capacity and means to undertake a project of this scope.” However, the explanations provided in council did little to convince many of the councilors. “The tender,” said Davide Bertera, “was European. Is it possible that not a single company, not even from Central or Southern Italy, could be interested in a nearly three and a half billion lira job?” For the councilor, this suggests instead that “the contract for the state road was probably mishandled from the start. The people responsible for assessing the figures and costs for the companies made a mistake. And without any personal repercussions. Now, we will have to explain to the people why this increase of over half a billion lira is happening — a vote we are making with no hesitation in council — but which will not prevent the works from starting with significant delays.” Similarly, Albisano councilor Virgilio Pozzani and Vice Mayor Giorgio Bonoldi shared this view. “The works,” both explained, “should last around 400 days, causing considerable inconvenience to residents, and thus about two years, since in summer the construction site will be halted to avoid disrupting tourism, as well as during Easter and other major holidays. We need to clarify in detail the duration of the works and the inconveniences involved.” Furthermore, Bonoldi added that it will likely not be possible to complete the project before autumn 2003. “Disruptions will occur,” admitted Mayor Vedovelli. “However, careful planning will minimize them as much as possible. Unfortunately, many considerations are valid, but these can only be made in hindsight.” The council, therefore, with unanimity at least in the voting, approved a fifteen percent increase in the contract base bid for the works on Gardesana. As a result, the total cost of the project will now be three billion and 950 million lira. However, the majority vote has not clarified, at least for now, doubts about the certainties regarding the start date of the works, now scheduled for early next year, their actual duration, and the inconveniences they will cause to traffic and the town.