Province and Region Support Finalizes 35.8B Euro Highway Variant Project
Tangential Road at the Starting Line: the announcement of the 35.8 billion euro fund available for the so-called variant to the state highway 11 seems destined to mark the long-awaited starting point of a project that, at least in its intentions, has existed for many years.
“In fact, the procurement of these financial resources demonstrates that now, finally, Province and Region are supporting us,” comments Umberto Chincarini, mayor of Peschiera. “They have understood the urgency of providing solutions to the traffic issues in this area.” The variant project foresees two distinct sections for crossing the territory of the municipalities of Peschiera and Castelnuovo.
Project Details and Funding
The first would connect the locality of Rovizza, at the border with the province of Brescia, to the current ring road that bypasses the historic center of Peschiera. The second, instead, allows for the crossing of the town of Cavalcaselle, which today is literally traversed by the state highway and its incredible volume of traffic, including trucks and semi-trailers.
And it is precisely this last section that is targeted by the over 35 billion euro funding. “This news,” continues Mayor Chincarini, “is certainly important, but it does not mean that everything has been done: we local administrators must remain committed and attentive to prevent the transfer of responsibilities for Anas from the State to the Regions from leading to delays.”
Goals and Oppositions
Pressuring Anas to announce tenders: this, according to Chincarini, is the next critical objective to avoid further delays in the realization of a project that has never been without contradictions and controversy. The most recent such objections were raised just a few months ago, in July of this year, by representatives of the committee for the protection and safeguarding of the territory and the Sanctuary of Frassino.
In response to the news of possible funding for the construction of the variant, they revived an old plan for a direct link, with a bypass of about one kilometer, between the Milan-Venice highway and the roundabout of Cavalcaselle with the exit for Autostrada Milano-Venezia at Affi and the Modena-Brennero highway.
But evidently, the intervention, and its lesser environmental impact, did not gain consensus even this time, and everything is now ready to move forward with the actual state highway variant.
New Project and Related Works
A project that will be complemented by another major work, aimed at radically changing the layout of this area and, hopefully, alleviating its traffic congestion: the new Castelnuovo motorway exit. “Contrary to what was written in the article published in recent days,” clarifies Chincarini, “the Peschiera toll booth will not be moved at all. The Castelnuovo exit will be built in addition to the existing one.”
The commitment by the president of the Società Autostrade Brescia-Padova has been very clear, and we eagerly await the completion of these projects because they will finally resolve, after many years, the transportation problems in this Garda area.”
Giuditta Bolognesi