Lombardy Considers Upgrading Gardesana Road Project in Garda Region

The project for the improvement of the “Gardesana” in the Brescia section between Gargnano and the Trentino border will soon be on the table of the President of the Lombardy Region, Roberto Formigoni. This is not a miracle of engineering efficiency, but rather a reconsideration of a study developed already in the early ’90s by the Comunità Montana dell’Alto Garda (High Garda Mountain Community), which has recently regained relevance and topicality. The confirmation comes from Pier Emidio Baldassarri, Public Works assessor for the same Comunità Montana Parco and his municipality, Limone. Baldassarri is therefore involved in the issue in a dual capacity: as an administrator of two different entities, and as a user of the road, like many other residents and tourists from Garda. “This project has existed for several years and includes the construction of some tunnels, the upgrading of others and the road surface, along with a significant series of works. It is a design dating back to 1992 that is already executable but needs to be updated to comply with the new regulations that have come into effect in the meantime. In reconsidering it, we would certainly face new technical problems, but these could be overcome within a few months in terms of planning.” The project, developed by a Verona-based studio that, however, no longer exists, needs to be updated. Baldassarri appears confident: he mentions a timeframe of just a few months (two or three) to implement the necessary updates and make the study suitable for new requirements and standards, which have since been introduced. “For example, now ventilation systems are required for tunnels longer than a kilometer. After reviewing the design plan—an operation that could be completed in a short time—the works could be contracted without delay,” provided the funding is available, of course. To accelerate this process, the documentation will be handed over this weekend to regional assessor Franco Nicoli Cristiani, delegated by Formigoni to oversee the Alto Garda road network. Meanwhile, in order to finally put the issue to rest, the two long-standing uncertainties of Garda road traffic have come back to the table. Their common ground is Gargnano, 15 kilometers north of Salò and 30 km south of Riva. Between Gargnano and Riva, safety issues have been highlighted, including recent landslides. Added to that are the inconveniences caused by the narrow road sections and some tunnels now inadequate for passing traffic, especially two-story jumbo-buses with 80 seats, widely used for tourist transportation. South of Gargnano, instead, the problems are caused by the intense traffic flow through the towns of Barbarano, Gardone Riviera, Fasano, Maderno, and Toscolano. “We understand the problems raised by the mayors of Gardone and Toscolano Maderno,” Baldassarri continues, “and we will need to consider bypassing these urban centers. But on the upper lake, there is a safety issue.” Meanwhile, discussions are also developing on a different level. Provincial Public Works assessor Mauro Parolini reaffirmed during a site visit in Limone the other day that ANAS will be invited to accelerate the works planned for 2002, costing 40 billion lire, on a section of Gardesana in the northern part of Lake Garda. However, the debate about where to prioritize remains open. For the Province and the Comunità Montana Parco dell’Alto Garda, it would be appropriate to address the situation at Nanzel, the site of the landslide on November 18: a landslide of 150 meters in height covering a frontage of 40-50 meters. Works at that site will resume next week. Baldassarri clarifies that “this is a location where rocks and gravel have always fallen. Even ANAS is aware, having received dozens of complaints, which are documented in official reports.” However, it seems that ANAS intends to allocate funds to the Forbisicle area instead: work there will also resume in the coming days after the Christmas break. The key issue now revolves around this choice, since the Province and the Comunità Montana insist on starting work at Nanzel, just south of Limone. As mentioned earlier, ANAS holds a different opinion.