New Bridge over the Magra

At the beginning of the 20^th  century, a stable, vehicular link between Albiano and the Caprigliola railway station was built along the 'Buonviaggio' SS 330 road, based on a design by Attilio Muggia, a five-arch bridge with a span of 51.5 metres, one of the largest at the time. Destroyed by retreating German troops, it was then rebuilt after the second world war, based on the design of engineers Giannelli, Carè and Ceradini, among the first to bring the 'Maillart' typology to Italy, and authors of many of the arched bridges of the 'Autostrada del Sole' highway.

Collapsed on 8 April 2020, after 24 months the connection over the river Magra was restored by constructing a new bridge with a partially variant route to the existing one.

When reconstructing the new Albiano Magra bridge, we started from a careful cognitive analysis of the context, focusing on both the punctual and the vast territorial scale. The primary goal was to overcome the lack of a connection between the banks of the river Magra, considering a reorganisation of the infrastructural system according to current needs and requirements, as well as a redevelopment of marginal areas. The works aimed at the reliability and effectiveness of its function, as well as at its rapid achievement.

The new infrastructure crosses the river Magra with four spans of 57+90+54 metres for a total length of 291 metres. Besides the roadway, the new bridge features two bicycle and pedestrian paths on both sides. Particular attention was also paid to the work construction stage, given the peri-urban context in which the bridge was to be built. In fact, all the metal elements were divided into ashlars to be easily transported on the road with current vehicles, and the joints were designed to be welded.

The intervention is completed by the alternative of SS 62 road at the former Caprigliola railway station and the new hydraulic connection with the S.S. 330 Buonviaggio road through a roundabout intersection. The redevelopment of the nearby areas, including the subway connecting the square to the houses and the railway, as well as improved flow management thanks to the roundabout intersection, are also planned.

The project considers the impact on the quality of life of the local community, in an area already subject to depopulation. The target is to carry out urban and functional redevelopment aimed at sustainability (cycle paths), environmental (green works), urban planning and cultural (station square, maintenance of the war memorial and the Lunense canal). The intervention also aims at rehabilitating the public spaces adjacent to the former passenger building of the 'Caprigliola Albiano station' of the disused railway line.