Europe is changing drastically. While the EU invests billions in its eastern member-states for brand new highways, city face lifts and railways, Western states need to update their infrastructure: think of high speed lines and subway systems that are outdated. Meanwhile, many EU-candidates try to speed up the application process by mayor infrastructure works. In Europe under construction, Reasq takes you every Saturday to a new mayor construction site in Europe and tells the true story behind the project. Today: the new bridge in Genoa.
August 14th, 2018.
Last Wednesday, a ceremony was held in Genoa, Italy to commemorate the 43 victims who died last year on the A12 autostrada. On August 14th 2018 at 11h36 (AM) local time, the famous Morandi Bridge collapsed during a storm, causing 250 meters of road surface to fall 45 meters down. The collapse, which is caught on video, looks surreal and thus questions were immediately raised of how such a disaster could ever happen.
Immediately after the disaster it became clear that the bridge showed several defects of which the responsible knew about. Researchers had concluded several times that there were serious problems with the trenches to which the bridge was attached. Local residents also knew that the bridge was dangerous: they heard the pillars crack and even saw pieces of the bridge come down.
"Residents heard the pillars crack and even saw pieces of the bridge come down."
Autostrade per l'Italia, owner of the collapsed bridge, has to defend itself in court in a case that started last winter and to which dozens of relatives have joined themselves. Autostrade states that it was unknown that the problems were so serious and label it as a tragic accident. However last month, the Brittish Financial Times said that "potential risks of collapse were already known in 2009", based on an intern document.
The new bridge of Renzo Piano
Even though the research of the accident isn't completed yet, the construction of the new bridge has already started. Two months ago, on June 25th, construction workers started constructing the foundations of the new bridge piles in the shadow of the still standing old piles. "The bridge is essential for both Genoa and for everyone who comes from the West. Since the collapse, everyone coming from France and Turin have to leave the highway at Genoa's airport, then follow the main road to the port, where they can take the A7. "It brought enormous traffic jams for everyone entering the city from the West. The port area, which is already busy by itself, got overloaded last year.", as Genoa port official states it.
Therefore only 11 days after the tragedy, on August 25th 2018, the Italian architect Renzo Piano announced "to help rebuild the bridge as it's his mission for his hometown Genoa". Piano designed notable buildings such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris and The Shard in London and is considered as one of the most important architects in Italy, which made the Italian government agreeing on him voluntary designing the new bridge.
A bridge that looks like a ship and honours the victims
On September 7th 2018, the architect revealed the first drawings and ideas for the new bridge: "A very Genoese bridge. Simple but not trivial. A steel bridge, safe and durable. Because bridges do not have to collapse." It will have 43 street lights, honouring the 43 victims of the collapse and will look a bit like a ship, which represents Genoa as a port city.
"A very Genoese bridge. Simple but not trivial. A steel bridge, safe and durable. Because bridges do not have to collapse."
On December 18th last year, all plans were ready and the government agreed on the €202 million bridge that Renzo Piano had designed. Even though the old bridge wasn't completely demolished yet, on June 25th the first works of the new bridge started. According to the plans, the new bridge should be ready by April next year, 1,5 year after the Morandi bridge collapsed.
The new bridge will have a steel deck, with a continuous girder of a total length of 1100 m and will be wider than its predecessor. It will consist of 3 lanes in each direction instead of two. The extra lane will however be reserved for emergencies.
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