New bridge in Genoa: the before and after in 10 photos

1,067 meters of road, laid on 18 elliptical piles at an average height of 45 meters above the city of Genoa. The new bridge, inaugurated this Monday, August 3, stands out for its simplicity and sobriety. Here are some photos comparing the new structure with the old one.

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The new bridge has no suspended passage, unlike the Morandi Bridge. Marco BERTORELLO / AFP

On August 14, 2018, in pouring rain, the Morandi motorway bridge, named after the engineer who designed it, collapsed, causing dozens of vehicles to fall, on the road to vacation or work. Among the 43 victims were four children.

The new bridge was built by the PerGenova consortium, which included the naval group Fincantieri and the construction company Salini-Impregilo. The work was carried out quickly from March 22, 2019.

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The destruction and construction of the buildings had to be carried out in the middle of an urban environment. Marco BERTORELLO, PIERO CRUCIATTI / AFP

The last section of the bridge, approximately 1 km long, was laid at the end of April and since the finishing works and safety tests have followed one another to allow its final inauguration.

At the end of July, 56 trucks weighing 44 tonnes each, for a total of around 2,500 tonnes, tested the strength of the bridge.

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The two bridges seen from the west of the city. Marco BERTORELLO / AFP

President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella will be the first to officially cross by car the new bridge, a work of architect Renzo Piano. The head of government Giuseppe Conte, among others, will deliver a speech and the Air Force acrobatic patrol will fly over the city around 6.30 p.m., the official time of the inauguration.

The bridge is expected to be open to traffic on August 4 or 5 after clearing the platform and props erected for the official opening.

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In the center, the blasting of the remains of the old Morandi bridge. Vincenzo PINTO, Marco BERTORELLO / AFP