Redevelopment work on the "Peppino Bazzoni Marinaru" square will begin on September 1st. This is one of the most significant projects planned in the heart of Porto Torres, a new component of the broader urban regeneration program being pursued by the Mulas administration. This eagerly awaited project aims to make the square more welcoming, sustainable, and functional , enhancing one of the city's most iconic public spaces. It will also promote smoother traffic flow and a wider sidewalk, giving priority to pedestrians.
AT&T srl of Sassari, which won the contract for a total of €575,503, is preparing the construction sites with appropriate signage. Starting next Tuesday, an order signed by the Commander of the Local Police, Katia Onida, will be in effect. This order prohibits parking until the work is completed, scheduled for March 31, 2027. Until that date, parking will be prohibited in the entire area of the square, on Via Petronia between Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Libio, and on Via Cavour between Via Libio and the main street. Vehicle traffic will also be prohibited in this section.
The space, currently used exclusively for parking and vehicular traffic, will be transformed into a flexible, multifunctional area. The project, designed by architect Omar Simonini, is divided into two interconnected areas. The first project involves the so-called "depaving" of the square, namely the demolition of the current stone paving and its replacement with a new, organic design in natural stone , complemented by green strips planted with trees and shrubs.
The redevelopment will also include the sidewalks and Via Libio, the main connecting axis of the square, with new, more refined paving in granite blocks. This 1,400-square-meter stretch will be constructed using a balanced system consistent with the surrounding urban context. The work also includes enhancing the rear façade of the Palazzo del Marchese with a conservative restoration and the replacement of missing plaster.
The parking area will be reorganized with the provision of 20 aligned spaces at a 45° angle, including one space reserved for disabled people . The spaces will be distinguished by materials and colors, yet harmonious with the aesthetics of the project. They are designed to be remodeled and can be vacated and transformed into a pedestrian space if necessary. A green belt planted with low-water Mediterranean trees will also be introduced, providing shade and mitigating the urban heat island effect. The entire area will be on a single level, with no differences in level between pedestrian and vehicular areas, to allow for temporary closures to traffic.
The project is completed by new public lighting , on poles and on the floor, with street furniture in harmony with the square.
"The square named after Peppino Marinaru also pays homage to the poet with a verse from his poem," explains Public Works Councilor Gaetano Mura, "another element that enriches the new public space, a meeting and socializing place, which will be almost exclusively pedestrianized with adequate parking." The works have received approval from the Archaeological Superintendency of Sassari and Nuoro, with the requirement that all excavation and clearing work be carried out under the supervision of a professional archaeologist.