Italian Provinces Debate Road Repairs and Landslide Risks at Gardesana

At the end of the inspection, there were primarily two impressions among the crowd of politicians present yesterday afternoon in Limone. The first was the obvious unified stance in favor of opening the Gardesana road south of Riva, where a landslide occurred at Rocchetta on December 22. The highway is still blocked by debris from the landslide, and the Province of Trento does not intend to intervene, as it plans to build an alternative tunnel of 1,250 meters at a cost of 75 billion lira. Supporters of the tunnel are in agreement, emphasizing the necessity—and urgency—of reopening the Gardesana after safety measures are implemented. Many, and some even explicitly, shared concerns about the situation in Nanzel, south of Limone, where a landslide on November 18 is ongoing. Here, work is underway, and traffic is regulated by alternating one-way passages controlled by traffic lights. The passage is monitored by volunteers and police officers. Observers from the lake looked at the scene in Nanzel and experienced a shock: “Did I pass through there?” one remarked. Vincenzo Ceschini, geologist, Riva councilor, and member of the Garda Community, explained that “the Rocchetta landslide fell from the overhanging Ponale road, which in turn was fragmented. The geological composition is calcareous dolomite and dolomia. The main risks include fissures, freeze-thaw cycles, and rain infiltration. The Nanzel situation differs; the rock, which is distinctive for its red color, is not made of dolomite and is decayed.” When rocks of several cubic meters detach and fall, they can reach speeds of 80-90 kilometers per hour and could cause damage even to artificial tunnels. According to the expert, intervention hypotheses on the Rocchetta landslide are possible, but first, the overhanging mass must be removed, then micropiles installed, and the roadway prepared. Naturally, this section of road should be covered with an artificial tunnel. Costs? Around 2 billion lira. Moving from technical to political considerations, Provincial Councilor Mauro Parolini stated, “The Rocchetta landslide is not of enormous size and the reconstruction of the road can be carried out independently of the new tunnel’s construction.” In response to requests from locals (“Brescian residents should also do their part”), Parolini specified that “6 billion lira are being spent on some sections of Gardesana, always ensuring safety. The ANAS (Italian highway authority) should invest another 40 billion in 2002, for works we plan to ask be advanced.” However, there is disagreement: the Province, along with the Mountain Community, advocates spending these funds on Nanzel, whereas ANAS prefers to intervene at Forbisicle, another area where work is currently underway. Additionally, the State Road 45 bis (along with State Road 42) will remain under ANAS management after July 1 of this year, contrary to other national roads. The councilor returned to a long-standing issue: “Radical interventions are needed. A comprehensive plan for the road should be studied, and we must take charge of the project already developed years ago by the Mountain Community. Gardesana is a single route, and to resolve issues, a special law for the Gargnano-Riva section must be enacted to ensure safe transit. Then, the discussion will turn to the kilometers from Salò to Gargnano, with associated inconveniences due to passing through inhabited centers.” Meanwhile, Parolini assured that the Department of Transport would support Navigarda’s ferry service. The Brescia-based administrators look ahead — with some concern — to the upcoming meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Trento: the president of the Autonomous Province has convened a summit on the Gardesana issue, which will include mayors Cesare Malossini of Riva and Battista Martinelli of Limone. The session will be preceded and accompanied by other significant events. Riva has scheduled an extraordinary city council meeting next week specifically to discuss transportation. Riva (as reported by Bresciaoggi yesterday) supports the Brescian positions, favoring the reopening of Gardesana in safety. However, regional councilor Franco Nicoli Cristiani confirmed that “within days, the President of the Lombardy Region, Roberto Formigoni, is expected to also take a stand. This will precede the Trento meeting,” which everyone now watches with some apprehension.