Congress Bridge Project in Rome Receives Provisional Award, Construction Expected to Start in 2027
Rome, March 10 – After two decades of anticipation, the long-awaited Congress Bridge project in Rome has taken a decisive step forward with a provisional award of the new tender. The project, aimed at improving connectivity between the Eur district and the Rome-Fiumicino motorway, is now slated for construction to begin in 2027, with an estimated completion in 2032. The total investment for the infrastructure is nearing 300 million euros.
A Long-Awaited Infrastructure Project
The concept of the Congress Bridge emerged approximately twenty years ago, envisioned by a decree from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers to create a new link to alleviate traffic congestion in one of Rome’s busiest quadrants. However, the path to its realization has been fraught with delays, technical hurdles, and economic challenges, leaving the bridge as a blueprint for years.
New Tender After 2021 Setback
An initial attempt to launch the project in 2021 saw a tender issued by the Public Works Department, but no companies submitted bids. This was primarily due to a surge in raw material costs, rendering the initial budget of 146 million euros insufficient. A new bidding process was initiated last June with a higher base auction price of 218.5 million euros. The contract has now been provisionally awarded by Anas, a company within the Ferrovie dello Stato group responsible for the project. This provisional award is subject to technical and administrative verifications before final confirmation.
Nearly 300 Million Euro Investment
The Congress Bridge is among the projects linked to the 2025 Jubilee and is managed by a special commission headed by Rome’s Mayor, Roberto Gualtieri. The total investment for the project is approaching 300 million euros. Over 90 percent of the funding comes from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Roma Capitale, with an additional 8.6 million euros sourced from funds allocated for Jubilee-related initiatives. Following the completion of award verifications, the goal is to commence construction in 2027. The project timeline anticipates approximately five years of work, with completion estimated by 2032.
Project Scope: Bridge, New Roads, and Cycle Paths
The definitive project, approved by the Anas board of directors and forming the basis of the tender, extends beyond just the bridge construction. The main infrastructure will span approximately 200 meters, crossing the Tiber River to connect both banks. Alongside the bridge, a new ring-road system with one-way traffic is planned, featuring ramps to connect the main carriageways towards both Rome and Fiumicino. The plan also includes the creation of cycle paths and pedestrian walkways, in addition to a new riverside park along the Tiber. This comprehensive intervention aims not only to improve traffic flow but also to enhance the urban and environmental aspects of the area.
Alleviating Southern Quadrant Traffic
The new bridge is designed to address one of the most critical mobility bottlenecks in Rome. Currently, the connection between the Grande Raccordo Anulare and the Eur district is primarily served by the Magliana Bridge, which acts as the sole direct crossing in the area. Essentially, the objective is to establish a new link across the Tiber, capable of better distributing traffic and reducing pressure on already congested infrastructure.
Political Reactions
The provisional award of the tender has garnered comments from various political figures. Fabrizio Santori and Maurizio Politi, Capitolini councilors from the Lega party, hailed the Congress Bridge as a fundamental infrastructure for the city. They attributed the project’s progress to the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure, Matteo Salvini. In their assessment, the new connection between the Fiumicino motorway and Eur will streamline urban traffic and strengthen connectivity. Santori and Politi emphasized that the project represents a turning point after years of delays and uncertainties, opening new prospects for the entire urban quadrant, which also includes the planned riverside park.
Luciano Ciocchetti, a deputy from Fratelli d’Italia, also commented on the tender award, describing it as a decisive step after a two-decade-long process. According to the parliamentarian, the Congress Bridge will significantly transform mobility in the southern quadrant of the capital. Ciocchetti further credited the current government’s work for this breakthrough, asserting that the executive had injected new impetus into the project by securing the necessary funding. He also highlighted that, thanks to the resources made available by the current government, Roma Capitale has benefited from particularly substantial allocations.
A Project Finally Moving Forward
After twenty years, the Congress Bridge is finally becoming more than just a paper project. The provisional award of the tender marks a crucial milestone, although some technical phases remain before the actual commencement of works. If the timeline is adhered to, construction could begin in 2027, leading to the completion of the new Tiber crossing by 2032. For a project conceived in the early 2000s, this could finally be the beginning of its most tangible phase: construction.
Source: https://urloweb.com/municipi/municipio-ix/ponte-dei-congressi-aggiudicazione-provvisoria-lavori-previsti-dal-2027/
