After almost thirteen years, the Monte Pino road on Provincial Road 38 bis, which connects Olbia with Tempio and brings together upper and lower Gallura, has been reopened to traffic .
The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place this morning on the stretch of road that collapsed on 18 November 2013, engulfed by Cyclone Cleopatra along with two cars swept away by the mud, a tragedy that cost the lives of three people .
"We inherited a road without any plan, we dictated a two-year schedule and we completed it thanks to the collaboration of all the relevant bodies: today there is no triumphalism out of respect for the victims", said the regional councillor for Public Works, Antonio Piu .
The inauguration ceremony was opened by Giuseppina Pasella, a representative of the citizens' committee that has fought for years to reopen the road. The ceremony was followed by remarks by the provincial president, Settimo Nizzi, representing all the Gallura mayors, and by the CEO of Anas, Claudio Andrea Gemme.
"Today is a special day. We're opening an important road that unites Gallura and connects the coast with the inland areas. Today we begin by remembering the victims, whom we can only honor by doing things right," said Nizzi.
Veronica Gelsomino, the sole survivor of the tragic flood accident, also attended the event. She said: "A chapter closed on the road safety front. Today my thoughts go to the people who saved me: Sebastiano, Massimo, and Mario, who saved me and didn't make it."
The restoration work, worth €18 million, covered just over 5 km of road . Two projects were underway: the first, costing €8.2 million, involved the restoration of the road surface after the landslide, as well as the upgrade and repair of the hydraulic works and the road surface between km 1,250 and 4,600; the second, costing €9.7 million and entirely funded by the Region, involved the remaining section of the road, with specific maintenance and repair work on the hydraulic works.
The two contracts included the construction of 18 hydraulic manholes and a viaduct, as well as the complete paving of the entire route, from km 0 to km 5.15 . The project also included the installation of safety barriers along the entire route and the execution of environmental mitigation works, aimed at reducing the infrastructure's impact on the surrounding area.
"Today is an important day for Northern Sardinia and for the entire island in general," said Anas CEO Claudio Andrea Gemme . "The completion of the Monte Pino road works is a symbol of a reborn infrastructure that allows the area to rediscover a vital connection for those traveling in the Gallura region. The two cities of Olbia and Tempio Pausania are finally closer ."