During an emotional ceremony yesterday, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte pledged that Genoa will have a new bridge by next April. The bridge will replace the Morandi Bridge that collapsed one year ago in the Italian port city of Genoa.
The Ponte Morandi (Morandi Bridge) was made up of several small spans that crossed over Polcevera River and parts of the city itself. The bridge was part of Italy’s A10 highway and was located on the road linking Italy to France and other parts of Europe.
On August 14, 2018, a 690-foot section of the bridge collapsed. Some eyewitnesses say the bridge was hit by lighting before the tragedy. Sadly, 43 people died in the disaster.
Genoa held an emotional ceremony on Wednesday. The service marked the one-year anniversary of the tragic collapse.
Conte says that reconstruction work is moving forward “seven days out of seven . . . and, according to forecasts, the new bridge will be accessible by April 2020.”
After a full year of investigations, officials have not yet determined the cause of the collapse. Just last month, officials finally released a video of the crumbling bridge. However, prosecutors are looking into poor maintenance and possible design flaws in the 51-year-old structure. The Morandi collapse was Italy’s 11thbridge collapse in six years.
Officials decided to rebuild instead of repairing the Morandi Bridge. Demolition took from February until June of this year.
Construction began on the new bridge on June 25. Hometown architect Renzo Piano designed it to resemble the bow of a ship in honor of Genoa’s seafaring traditions.
(Relatives of the victims of the Morandi Bridge collapse attend a remembrance ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the tragedy in Genoa, Italy, on August 14, 2019. AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
