Lake Garda Traffic Woes as Construction Projects Disrupt Summer Travel

The summer ahead looks like a nightmare for motorists heading to Lake Garda. As seasonal traffic increases along the lake’s main roads, causing congestion and smog, additional disruptions are expected. These are mainly due to ongoing construction sites during the peak tourist season and subsequent months.

The ongoing and planned works are raising concerns among local administrators and economic operators. Here is a map of the current and scheduled projects, starting with the interventions affecting the Lonato tunnel on the state road 11 (Strada Statale 11).

Interventions on the Lonato Tunnel and Other Works

In fact, Società Autostrade Spa has issued a tender for the execution of all necessary works, services, and supplies for cleaning and subsequent painting of the Lonato tunnel and the Berici tunnels in the Municipality of Vicenza. The estimated cost is 760 million euros.

The opening of bids is scheduled for July 17, making it likely that construction sites could be opened afterward for approximately 80 days. Work has already begun on laying telecommunications cables along the state road 11, between Calcinato, Lonato, Desenzano, and Sirmione.

This intervention, which we have already reported on, is planned until the end of October. According to an ordinance issued by Anas, the highway authority, a one-lane alternating traffic control regulated by a semaphore will be in effect from Monday to Saturday, excluding holidays, on days when work can be carried out.

Problems in Desenzano and Other Interventions

However, near Desenzano, the construction of a bridge crossing over the roundabout in the Perla area has caused issues for months, enabling the bypass of this traffic knot. The works also concern the exit from the highway tollbooth and the entrance to the main road, which will be facilitated by creating an underpass for those heading to Garda.

The Municipality of Desenzano could mitigate the disruptions by enforcing the ordinance issued by the mayor, which bans certain construction activities during specific times of the year, notably in August. Paradoxically, the most anticipated project in the area is not active, nor are there any scheduled openings.

This is related to completing the “large southern Garda variant,” between Rovizza in Sirmione and Peschiera. The bypass is incomplete: it is open up to San Martino, constructed from there to Sirmione but only used in one direction, as the asphalt ends amid the vineyards of Lugana.

Problems and Future Developments

Autumn will reintroduce issues on the Gardesana in the upper lake area, although positive news comes from Villanuova and the Monte Covolo region.