Local Business Leaders Push for Early Reopening of Gardesana Road to Save Tourism

Everyone cares about the «Gardesana» road, but it’s undeniable that the economic operators primarily bear the costs of its closure. A potential crisis in the tourism sector, caused by the difficulty – or prolonged inability – to pass, would have cascading negative effects on wholesalers, merchants, and service providers—several thousand along the entire western Riviera.

Finally, there is the indirect economic impact, which includes all those less visible activities that nonetheless create jobs and are directly connected to and linked with tourism. Starting from this reasoning, a highly attended assembly was held on Wednesday evening in Limone, organized by the «Riviera dei Limoni» Consortium (president Chicco Risatti of Limone) and by a Trentino association, «Unione Commercio Turismo e Attività di Servizio Alto Garda e Ledro», whose president is Trentino’s Franco Gamba.

Meeting and goals of the entrepreneurs

The two groups of entrepreneurs represent about 5,000 companies, of various sizes but with interests especially tied to the tourism sector. Risatti and Gamba will represent the Limone assembly (about 500 participants) and will act as voice for Gardesani interests in other venues: primarily the Province of Trento.

There is a clear desire to continue this united action, and the assembly will be reconvened for updates. If necessary, possible protest actions will be considered in response to negative developments.

Key points of the debate

The discussion can be summarized around certain key points, three of which are reported in a note by the two associations, representing a «unanimous expression of the economic parties of Trento and Brescia». It is reaffirmed first and foremost that the «indispensable reopening of the state road by the end of March» is deemed non-negotiable.

Regarding the news received from Rome and presented to the public by Risatti, there is «satisfaction with the positive news concerning the timely construction (by the end of June) of the linking tunnel» passing under Rocchetta, south of Riva, toward Limone.

The same tunnel still faces the threat of the «sword of Damocles» represented by the approval of the Ministerial Committee, which must declare the project as «urgent», thus unlocking bureaucratic obstacles and allowing the immediate start of construction through private negotiation, bypassing procedures that involve European tenders.

Those present at the meeting with Undersecretary Antonio Bargone report that he himself believed this was the way to proceed. Another hot topic was the alternative ferry service, activated by Navigarda to mitigate inconveniences during transfers from Brescia to Trento.

During the assembly, the «unbearable and unsustainable» economic burden of transfer costs via Navigarda was highlighted. A formal protest was issued against «the speculation of a government body on the state of emergency and discomfort of citizens». Navigarda responded yesterday with a statement signed by director Marcello Coppola (more on this below).

Otherwise, the debate revisited the usual issues close to the hearts of Gardesani economic operators: the months are passing quickly, the Rocchetta landslide has been static for over 40 days, and spring is approaching. However, the «Gardesana» remains closed, though it is clear that positions are less rigid than during the initial weeks of the blockade, when Trento officials argued for «the indefensibility of that stretch of Gardesana» and, consequently, the futility of disengagement and repair work.

To address the problem at its root, the Trentino authorities have outlined a project for the Rocchetta tunnel: 1250 meters long with a 75 billion euro expenditure plan by the Provincia autonoma di Trento. Later, attitudes softened, and sporadic opening hours of the old state road appeared feasible as early as June.

Now, hoteliers and merchants are pushing for an even earlier opening—before Easter. Some concerns have been raised regarding the timeline for building the new tunnel: doubts persist that, even starting immediately, it can be completed by June.

Instead, there may be progress concerning works at Nanzel, south of Limone, which the Anas ordinance requires to be completed by April 14. The schedule might be significantly advanced, and from February 25, transit during the entire day could be possible, although only in alternating one-way traffic.