New Genoa bridge near completion despite the covid-19 lockdown

The final span of the new Genoa bridge was slotted into place on 28th of April, two years after the collapse of Morandi Bridge, offering a ray of hope during the coronavirus crisis.

The new, over one kilometer long, bridge stands 45 meters above the Polcevera valley and connects two sides of the city of Genoa. The bridge, designed by the Genoese architect Renzo Piano, is part of the E80 European highway that links Italy to France, being a critical artery for northern Italy. 

Installation of the final span (Credits: The Guardian)

The new Genoa bridge is a continuous steel beam supported by 18 reinforced concrete, elliptical shaped, piers. The three central spans are double the size of the rest because of the river and the railway below the bridge. The deck made of mixed steel-concrete structure is designed from Piano to look like a hull of a ship floating in the sky reflecting Genoa’s maritime history. The steel part of the deck consists of three transversal segments, so as to make the assembly of the spans simple and quick. The bridge has a low environmental impact thanks to solar panels mounted along each side to power its lights and sensors. Moreover, due to concerns over safety and durability, the new Genoa bridge has been deployed with robots that run along the hull, for constant monitoring and regular maintenance. The bridge is designed to last at least 100 years. 

Sections of pier and deck (Credits: CNN)

The bridge was build to replace the Morandi bridge, built in 1967, which collapsed on August 14, 2018, when one of the piers failed, bringing down with it 210 meters of road that crashed on the underlying railway and buildings, killing 43 people. In the memory of these victims, the new bridge will be illuminated by 43 lamps.

Construction begun in August 2019, after the demolition of the remainders of the Morandi bridge and, since then, it continued rapidly. Work on the site never stopped, continuing at night with tasks compatible with noise regulations. Even during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, strict safety measures were enforced in order for the project to continue.

Work at construction site at night (Credits: CNN)

The project cost 200 million euros, without considering the cost of demolition of the Morandi bridge, which cost another 90 million euros. The new Genova bridge is expected to open to traffic in July 2020, at the earliest.