by InTrieste
A bridge on Via delle Campanelle in Trieste will reopen to pedestrian and vehicle traffic on Wednesday, Aug. 12, after temporary safety measures were installed and structural checks were completed, regional authorities said Tuesday.
The reopening will also allow Trieste Trasporti, the city’s public transportation operator, to restore service toward the line’s regular terminus under a temporary arrangement. Heavy vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tons will remain prohibited from crossing the bridge.
The bridge had been closed while authorities assessed its condition and installed additional safety protections. The work was carried out jointly by the Friuli Venezia Giulia regional government, the Municipality of Trieste, technical specialists, contractors and the public transportation operator.
A decisive step came Monday, when a structural engineer signed and submitted a verification report following the installation of the safety measures required under the project. The report provided the technical basis for reopening the bridge, followed by a municipal traffic order.
The temporary work included roadside barriers, metal fencing and fall-protection systems, additional signs and provisional lighting. Concrete barriers, known as New Jersey barriers, were also installed on the embankments beside sections of the bridge where existing fencing presented particular safety concerns. The barriers were positioned so as not to add additional loads to the bridge deck.
The work was briefly complicated by an incident on Aug. 7, when a heavy vehicle crossed the bridge despite the closure and damaged several of the newly installed barriers. Eight damaged barriers were replaced on Aug. 10, allowing the final structural inspection to proceed.
The reopening will also change how public transportation operates in the area.
Trieste Trasporti will initially run a shuttle service from the stop before the bridge, at the Piazzale di Via delle Campanelle 150, toward the terminus. Passengers will then be able to transfer to a smaller local bus to complete the final section of the route.
The regional government said it has also begun work on a longer-term project intended to allow the bridge to carry vehicles without the current weight restriction.
Cristina Amirante, the regional infrastructure and territory councilor, said the reopening would restore an important connection for residents while maintaining the restrictions considered necessary for safety.
The temporary arrangement is expected to remain in place while further work is planned to remove the bridge’s load limitations.
