200 non-compliant tunnels in the Italian motorway network. This is certified by a letter sent to the firefighters and supervisors of public works by the Superior Council of Public Works of the Ministry of Infrastructure. The document was drawn up in early November and therefore almost two months before the collapse that occurred in the Berté tunnel on the A-26, the motorway that heads north from Genoa Voltri and arrives in Gravellona Toce (Piedmont).
Of these 200 tunnels, 105 arise on the motorway network managed by ASPI, the subsidiary of Atlantia in the eye of the storm after the collapse of the Morandi bridge and over which an internal dispute is underway in the Government in relation to the possible revocation of concessions. Other 90 galleries are instead in charge of other companies.
According to MIT's technical body, these 200 tunnels present dangers of accidents and collapses, are not waterproofed, have no safety systems, emergency lanes and escape routes, guide lights in case of evacuation. In practice, none of the tunnels mentioned would comply with European directive 54 of 2004 implemented in Italy in 2006 which established stringent safety requirements for tunnels longer than 500 meters and established that by 30 April 2019 everyone would have to comply.
It arrives shortly Autostrade per l'Italia's response, according to which, the adjustments envisaged by EU legislation "do not, in any case, concern the structural safety of tunnels". These adjustments, adds the company, "consist in fact in the installation of water systems, in the creation of drainage channels on the edge of the roadway, in the lighting of evacuation areas, in the implementation of radio channels". On the Aspi network, he adds, “the adaptation of these systems is underway, or in some cases already completed, in over 90% of the tunnels involved. In the remaining 10% the works are in the process of being awarded". Throughout the network, Aspi adds, "since 30 April 2019, as requested by the Permanent Commission for Tunnels of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, a series of compensatory measures have already been activated, supported by a specific study on safety, to guarantee a level of safety and prevention equal to or greater than what will be obtained at the end of the adjustments in progress".
Ma which tunnels are at risk according to MIT? According to what revealed by Republic, of the 105 Aspi tunnels at risk there would be about ten tunnels located along the Apennine ridges between Liguria, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna. “There are the Turchino near Genoa, while further north the Mottarone, in Verbania; the Coronata on the A-10, Genoa-Savona, adjacent to the Morandi viaduct; on the A-12 Genova-Rosignano there are Monte Quezzi, La Veilino, La Monte Sperone and La Maddalena between Rapallo and Sestri Levante; on the A-7 the Genoa-Milan Serravalle, here is the Bolzaneto-Uno, the Monte Galletto and the Monreale. In the North-East, Tarvisio on the A-23, precisely the Udine-Tarvisio motorway. On the A-14, Adriatica la Pedaso and Castello Grottamare, closed on 23 August 2018 due to a serious accident caused by a truck fire, reopened after 6 months".
Bertè is also included in the list of galleries at risk where two tons of concrete collapsed from the vault on December 30th. For this episode, the Genoa prosecutor's office has opened a file against unknown persons for culpable collapse.
The letter was acquired by the Guardia di Finanza of Genoa. The investigation aims to understand if Aspi was aware of the real conditions of the tunnel. La Berté had in fact been controlled by technicians from Spea, also controlled by Atlantia, who had given it a 40 rating which indicates a "very low risk of collapse".
The new tile that falls on the highways is part of the long dispute with Atlantia, about to launch the new industrial planAnd. The concession to Aspi is still in the balance after the Minister of Infrastructure, Paola De Micheli has denied the circulated hypothesis of a maxi-fine to Atlantia to close the game after the collapse of the Morandi Bridge. "We have never privately or publicly evaluated the possibility of a maxi fine," said De Micheli. "In the coming days, the government will take the consequent measures in full collegiality," he added.
