Gardesana Occidentale Road’s 80th Anniversary Marked by Landslide and Safety Concerns
The “Gardesana occidentale” state road celebrated its 80th anniversary (October 18, 1931) in its own way: with a landslide, which once again brought the spotlight on the important route connecting Brescia with Trentino.
A small landslide dumped about twenty cubic meters of debris onto one lane during the night between Saturday and Sunday. From 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., traffic was allowed to proceed on only one lane. Fortunately, no damage was caused to people or vehicles.
The incident occurred in one of the sections of the state road that has recently been the focus of frequent attention. It is in the area of Forbisicle, within the territory of the Comune di Tignale, close to the site of ongoing works, which began a couple of weeks ago and will continue for quite some time.
Technical issues and investigations
Some questions have nonetheless arisen. Two, in particular, warrant concern. One is related to the realization that it was the “nails” used to anchor the steel cables to the rock that gave way. The cables, in turn, held the net, which is attached to the ground.
When this work was carried out (in the early 1990s), the rock was perforated to a depth of about twenty centimeters. It is worth remembering that, at the time, projects of this kind were lengthy and expensive: costs exceeded 30 billion lire.
Even then, some commented that with the same amount of money, a section of the road could have been made completely safe. Some raise concerns about the technical resistance of the net, while others are watching the sky.
If the early signs are any indication, there is reason for concern: we are only at the beginning of autumn, and the bad season is usually not gentle. It suffices to recall the problems last year, with the landslides at Nanzel and Rocchetta, which blocked the Gardesana for many months.
Current state and future of the safety net
According to some experts, the net installed ten years ago is intended to last. Moreover, the debris that fell onto the road last night was of significant size, even about one cubic meter. The net mitigated the force of the fall but could not prevent it.
Additionally, today’s working methods have changed, and the “nails” used for anchoring penetrate the rock to a depth of one and a half meters, providing greater security. Yesterday, on the Gardesana, the head of the Anas department was present, accompanied by a surveyor.
The site inspection was already scheduled and had nothing to do with the small landslide last night. The road was already fully passable by Sunday morning, and yesterday the ditches were also cleared.
Scheduled work and closures
Apart from surprises, even in the coming months, the Gardesana traffic will face more than one planned disruption. In Forbisicle, work is proceeding during daytime hours.
Once the installation of the nets is completed, another closure is expected in Limone, after the first week of November.
Therefore, the most significant stoppage: from mid-November for a full month, there will be a blockade between Limone and Riva, due to work near the new tunnel inaugurated last July by President Ciampi. Overcoming this obstacle will be challenging without relying on Navigarda and ferry services.
The lake level is currently low, making it difficult for ferries to dock. However, there is an important recent development related to the Gardesana that has been circulating for a few days and is gaining shape.
Meetings and future solutions
A meeting will be held in Limone, bringing together mayors from the Gardesana area, regional and provincial officials, as well as national politicians. The summit — scheduled for November 3 — aims to lay out guidelines toward a definitive solution to the “Gardesana problem.”
It may revisit discussions initiated at the Ministry of Public Works last January, which aimed to secure funding necessary to reinforce the section from Gargnano to the Trentino border.
