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Un mois après Gênes, le plus haut pont routier d'Italie fermé

2 min

| Publié le 19/09/18

[The highest Italian viaduct, linking Abruzzi and Molise regions, in Central Italy, was closed indefinitely due to security. Its main pylon (185 mts high) needs to be secured.] The authorities of Isernia province decided to close indefinitely for security reasons the bridge over the river Sente, linking Abruzzi and Molise regions. The “Sente Longo” viaduct, built between 1974 and 1977 in steel and concrete, is 1,200 meters long and is still the highest road bridge in Italy: the main pylon is 185 meters high. It connects the towns of Castiglione Messer Marino, in the province of Chieti (Abruzzi), and Belmonte del Sannio, in the province of Isernia (Molise). Indeed, the viaduct has been at risk of collapse perhaps for years. Only now, however, thanks to in-depth checks carried out after the collapse of the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa and following the earthquake of magnitude 5.1 that hit the area on August 16th, the local road authorities established unequivocally that the viaduct is unstable. The highest pylon appears to have "rotated" over the years and is supported by a base of only 20 cms. The latest inspections and subsequent technical reports highlighted a series of criticalities not visible from the outside but only going down under the deck. To face the consequences of the closure of the bridge, the old State Road 86 “Istonia” was reopened, even if it is in dangerous conditions and needs to be secured. Residents must now descend to the valley floor and ascend back to the towns, extending the route 8 km. However, this is a partial solution: the road is open only to light traffic, so it’s forbidden to trucks, coaches, and also school buses. The inconvenience hits mostly the commuting students and the patients who reach the hospital of Agnone (in Molise) from the Abruzzi territory. Dur. 2.53 Raffaella Paradiso, Deputy Mayor of Castiglion Messer Marino SOUNDBITE ITALIAN: This was our only outlet, closing this, our village remains isolated at the gates of winter. Resident 1, woman SOUNDBITE ITALIAN: We are afraid that next winter, when it will snow, we will suffer the same fate as Rigopiano hotel. Resident 2, man SOUNDBITE ITALIAN: I am a mechanic, i drive through this bridge 10, 11, 12 times a day. Panshot The town of Castiglion Messer marino 0.24 Closing the bridge on the Molise region side 0.39 Closing the bridge on the Abruzzi region side 0.51 VS The “Sente Longo” viaduct 1.51-End: The alternative old State Road 86 “Istonia”