The increase in the construction costs associated with the Garda Cycle Path has once again come to the forefront with the presentation of a new complaint to the Court of Auditors by the associations Italia Nostra, Ledro Inselberg, and WWF. The western Trentino section, which spans approximately 5.5 km, has reached a total cost of over 84 million euros, translating to more than 15 million euros per kilometer, or 42 times the national average. These costs are expected to rise further as two sections remain suspended. The Court of Auditors had already highlighted the inconsistencies in costs and the inadequate transparency in resource planning.
Despite the emerging issues, the provincial government of Trento has approved additional funding for the project, which is considered a waste of public resources given the inefficiency in economic management. The associations also question the sustainability of the project, emphasizing that the section is located in an area at risk of erosion and slope instability. Alternatively, experts propose lake transport as a more economical and less impactful solution to ensure sustainable mobility for both residents and tourists.
