Genoa, 18 February 2025
A technical inspection by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini took place today at the Genoa Brignole construction site, in the heart of the Ligurian ‘Terzo Valico - Genoa Junction’ project.
Attendees included the Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Edoardo Rixi, the Extraordinary Commissioner for the Single Project, Calogero Mauceri, the Chairperson of the Liguria Region, Marco Bucci, the Acting Mayor of Genoa, Pietro Piciocchi, the Chief of Operation Rail Italia of Webuild Nicola Meistro, and Vincenzo Macello, Deputy General Manager of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, FS Group.
The Genoa Junction project has the objective of separating long-distance and freight traffic flows from metropolitan/regional traffic, with a consequent increase in the railway capacity of the entire regional network. It consists of two new tracks under construction and is divided into: ‘Track sextuplication project’ between Genova Piazza Principe and Brignole, ‘Track quadruplication project’ between Genova Voltri and Sampierdarena, the Bivio Fegino-Campasso-historic port connection, and the new Master Plan for Genova Voltri.
The visit concerned the ‘Track sextuplication project’ construction site, starting from Brignole station, the two new tracks connecting with the Genova Piazza Principe station, obtained by expanding the existing Colombo and S. Tomaso tunnels, which will host only regional/metropolitan traffic, thus eliminating any current interferences on the existing connection.
The final tunnel excavation and lining works have been completed, and external work on the new artificial tunnel and extensions of the existing station underpasses are in progress.
The ‘Track quadruplication project’ between Voltri and Sampierdarena were illustrated, with the two new tracks obtained by completing the Voltri slip road, which will be dedicated to long-distance connections (freight and passengers) allowing direct connection to the Terzo Valico dei Giovi for goods trains with origin/destination at the Port of Prà-Voltri. Here, the excavation and final lining of the Polcevera tunnel and interconnection chambers with the Terzo Valico have been completed, and external works are in progress to complete the civil works, railway technological systems and track laying.
The meeting was also an opportunity to take stock of the works on the Terzo Valico, examining the issues the construction site has encountered in recent months, especially in the Vallemme - Radimero section due to blocked cutters and the discovery of large quantities of methane gas.
With regard to these issues, following the technical round-tables between the authorities in charge, specific modalities concerning the excavation resumption activities were identified.
The actions - currently at an experimental stage - relate in particular to controlled progress investigations of rock materials, to intercept and control gas flows, upgrade the ventilation system, waterproofing the tunnel completely, and perform excavations with explosives in controlled mode. This methodology will be adjusted constantly during the course of the project according to the actual conditions encountered. Since last December, detailed activities for each of the above actions have been planned, initiated and partially executed.
The meeting ended with the announcement of the next open day at the Genoa Junction and Terzo Valico construction sites scheduled for Sunday 30 March.