Outcry in South Tyrol. Construction work on the Virgltunnel in Bolzano is expected to take ten months and will start in October. Locals are worried.
Bolzano – South Tyrol wants to get on the rails. And for this purpose, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol has been planning a major project for years on the Virgl Tunnel, which crosses the city of Bolzano. It consists of three parts: a road tunnel as part of the S12, a two-tube motorway tunnel (A22) and a rail tunnel that is now under construction.
Mega project starts in South Tyrol: Virgl Tunnel is being expanded – “Challenging construction work awaits us”
“Challenging construction work awaits us because work is being carried out directly in the city and there is also interference with civil engineering, because the road tunnel under the Virgl is also being expanded,” predicted Mobility State Councilor Daniel Alfreider back in December.
Since then, however, the schedule for the mammoth project has been a mystery. The start was announced repeatedly, but then it never happened. Now it should really happen in October, Alfreider confirms to the newspaper Alto Adige.
Tunnel bang in South Tyrol: Bolzano project takes eight to ten months
And this is where the big bang for the locals comes to light: the construction work is expected to take eight to ten months.
This time could be very unpleasant, especially for the Oltrisarco district in the south of Bolzano. District councilor Angelo Liuzzi fears massive mobility problems for the 14,000 residents and around countless tourists. He expects “this area will become a funnel.”
Locals fear major problems during the construction phase of the Virgl Tunnel
District President Judith Kofler Peintner also describes similar fears Alto Adige. She announces: “We will probably organize a meeting and talk to technicians to find solutions at least for bicycles and pedestrians.”
State Councilor Alfreider also expects inconveniences during the construction phase. However, he emphasizes: “The Virgolo is not a construction site, it is the vision of a new mobility between Bolzano and Meran and, above all, disconnected from the Brenner corridor. The work on the Virgolo Tunnel is necessary so that in the future it will be possible to go directly to the station.”
South Tyrol wants to boost train traffic with tunnel expansion
Trains on the railway lines to Merano (which was closed for work in the summer) and to Vinschgau can drive directly into Bolzano train station when the work is completed. This means that you no longer have to give way to rail traffic on the Brenner route. “Which ensures more safety and reliable connections for rail passengers,” said Alfreider in a statement.
The railway lines in the Pustertal are also to be expanded, but the route will initially be closed for a whole year. Very similar to the Virgltunnel in Bolzano. (moe)
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