Desenzano Road Hub Upgrade: €16B Investment for Ferragosto Opening
Just in time to accommodate the big Ferragosto exodus, the “gateway” to the Riviera del Garda, namely the large roundabout of Desenzano’s Pearl, has been refurbished and reinforced with a nine-figure investment.
Almost 16 billion lire have been invested by the Società Autostrada Brescia-Verona-Padova to address with extensive roadworks the crucial transportation hub of lower Garda and northern Mantovano.
The new connection between the Desenzano-Castiglione-Mantova state road, the A4 Desenzano toll booth, and the Brescia-Desenzano-Verona state road will be inaugurated just before Ferragosto with a ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday, August 13, coinciding with the peak travel days.
There couldn’t be a better debut or a more challenging test for the new roundabout. The ribbon-cutting will be performed by provincial councilor Mauro Parolini, a native of Desenzano, who has invited several authorities: however, it remains to be seen how many will respond, considering the concurrent Ferragosto holiday.
Nevertheless, Parolini will be present, along with the municipal administrators of Desenzano. After the ribbon is cut, the road will be officially open to traffic.
As mentioned, the expenditure amounts to sixteen billion lire, funded by the managing company of a segment of one of Italy’s most congested and strategic highways. The funds were used to construct just under 2 kilometers of asphalt including overpasses, lanes, ramps, and interchanges.
It may seem exaggerated, but it truly isn’t. The works were delivered within the maximum deadlines set in the contract between Serenissima and Codelfa Prefabbricati-Impresa Grassetto: awarded on February 16 two years ago and completed these days.
Works and advantages of the new road system
Furthermore, the impressive road system designed by Rpa Engineering Consulting of Verona is built over multiple structures. It features a three-level interchange that channels the traffic from Peschiera and Lonato through an underpass, while traffic from Desenzano and Mantova crosses via an overpass, with a junction displaying unidirectional ramps merging into a ground-level roundabout.
Additionally, there is a two-level interchange connecting the Desenzano A4 toll booth to the road towards Castiglione and Mantova through another roundabout that manages incoming traffic flows from all directions, along with an underpass ensuring continuity for north-south traffic.
The benefits? Drivers exiting the highway towards Desenzano-Padenghe-Salò will bypass the intersection thanks to the overpass. The same applies to traffic on the opposite lane.
However, drivers will not experience an immediate end to traffic inconveniences or queues. In fact, a tailback will still form at the end of the overpass ramp heading toward Desenzano, and delays there will be significant.
The only infrastructure that could have radically solved the traffic entry problem into the town was the hypothesized tunnel in the direction of Padenghe, a project that was ultimately abandoned.
In any case, on Monday, with the opening of the new interchange, overall driving conditions for motorists will significantly improve.
