Roadwork Expansions on Gardesana Route Between Limone and Riva
Attention is returning to the Western Gardesana, in its northernmost stretch, between Limone and Riva. The tourist season is not yet over, rich as it is with offers. However, with autumn approaching, roadworks will resume, bringing intermittent traffic.
Interventions and Projects on the Road
The most significant projects are planned between Limone and Riva. Technicians from the Provincia di Trento have completed and submitted to the Provincial Council proposals to extend the new tunnel by an additional 240 meters: 120 meters towards the south and 120 meters towards the north.
The works south of the new tunnel, heading in the direction of Limone, involve constructing a rockfall gallery with a roof covering the upper section and an opening toward the lake. This intervention follows other similar projects previously completed. The goal: to further enhance safety while allowing travelers to see the lake.
With these works, the total cost of the new gallery (also under scrutiny due to its very expensive finishing touches: lighting and ventilation installed provisionally) is expected to reach around 70 billion lire. As for the start date, it is likely that a couple of months will pass, making it November before the excavation machines are at work.
Implications and Issues
The project presented to the Provincia di Trento requires some approvals and clearance from the geological service. This presents additional problems for Brescia residents who use the road to Trentino for work or school.
However, these issues are likely far less severe than those experienced during the recent closure of over six months—a complete blockade—caused by the landslide at Mount Rocchetta on December 22, 2000, which halted traffic until July 7 (the day President Ciampi visited and the new tunnel was inaugurated).
Later, traffic resumed, although heavily congested. The creation of the «record-breaking tunnel» (960 meters long, entirely within Trento territory, costing 22 billion lire), completed in just over three months by Provincia di Trento, revitalized tourism in the area.
This mainly concerns «passerby» guests—those who do not make reservations. Immediately after the new tunnel opened, work was also completed on others, such as those in progress at Nanzel (south of Limone), where the road was only passable in alternating one-way traffic following the landslide on November 18, 2000.
In this case, traffic was also completely halted for months. Later, sporadic traffic flow only partially alleviated discomfort.
Further works lasted until January in Forbisicle. They were suspended following loud protests by local mayors, supported by the Comunità Montana and economic operators.
The repeated protests and a high-profile walk in the area, with mayors dressed in tricolor sashes, accompanied by local, provincial, and regional politicians, led to the suspension of works at least during the summer season. As for the «Gardesana» running in Brescia territory (in the Alta Garda section), no projects have been scheduled.
Although work in Forbisicle is yet to be completed, with the installation of netting and rockfall barriers.
