A9 Como Chiasso Construction Sites - Autostrade per l'Italia

Features

The A9 Lainate Como Chiasso motorway connects the metropolitan city of Milan with Como and the Swiss border. It is crucial for the area, as it is a connection route for goods travelling from Italy to northern Europe and vice versa and for short-haul traffic to the Lombard capital. The route measures 31.5 km.

The section between the Como Grandate barrier and the Swiss border presents a high number of infrastructures, which complicates the planning of the works. In only 8.5 km, 2 km of which are in tunnels and 1.3 km on viaducts, there are 5 twin-tube tunnels (for a total of 10 tubes) and 7 viaducts. Approximately 30,000 vehicles travel daily on the section between Como and Chiasso, in each of the two directions.

As part of the national modernisation plan, launched by Autostrade per l'Italia as of 2020 on its network, the A9 Lainate Como Chiasso is one of the most important work programmes, with a total investment of more than EUR 60 million.

Interventions

tunnels

Tunnel equipment upgrading (Legislative Decree 264/06):

It involved the refurbishment and modernisation of the technological equipment in the tunnels. Upgrading activities were completed on all the tunnels of the section.

Structural regeneration:

Starting from 2020, in accordance with the guidelines introduced that year, in-depth inspections were initiated in the 10 tunnels of Monte Olimpino, Monte Quarcino, Terrazze, Villa Maria, and San Fermo. The inspections were carried out using the latest generation technologies such as georadar and ultrasound tomography. The investigations resulted in the development of projects needed for the modernisation programmes, with the primary objective of equipping the infrastructures with waterproofing systems, which were not initially included during their construction.

In some cases, a complete reconstruction plan of the structural parts of the tunnel was carried out, using state-of-the-art materials and cutting-edge technology. This resulted in an extension of the useful life of the infrastructure assets by a further 50 years. The intensive phase of the tunnel modernisation plan is scheduled to be completed by May 2024.

The San Fermo Nord Tunnel

This is the last of the 10 on the A9 affected by the final stages of modernisation works. The work involves the structural renewal of the existing materials through the construction of a new final protective coating consisting of a high-performance structural spritz-beton shell, laid with the aid of modular welded mesh panels, new waterproofing and a water collection system.

VIADUCTS

After a phase of in-depth inspections, a modernisation plan will be launched with a renewal of the works to extend the useful life of the infrastructure and adapt them to current traffic volumes

SAFETY AND NOISE BARRIERS

The plan to modernise the side devices includes the replacement of about 8.5 km of safety barriers and more than 2 km of noise barriers. For this type of asset, the network modernisation plans provide for two types of intervention: the installation of new, state-of-the-art barriers, and the upgrading of noise-absorbing systems to improve the acoustic impact on the surrounding area.

Real time travel times

Check the real time updated travel times on Ligurian motorways and the external road network.

BROWSE

Construction site planning

The action plan was finalised taking into account:

Traffic flow trends
Characteristics of the territory
Climatic characteristics
Local and National Public Holidays

See the schedule of construction sites on the A9 Como Chiasso.

CONSTRUCTION SITES ON THE A9

The intervention schedule was divided into two phases, a spring and an autumn phase, for approximately 75 consecutive days of activity for each, for a total of approximately 150 site days, or 40% of the calendar year.

This non-continuous subdivision of the works guaranteed the full usability of the section during periods of heavy traffic related to tourist movements, as well as during periods with the possibility of snowfall and the consequent management of salt spreading operations and clearing of any snow accumulations.