Ponte Morandi
Ponte Morandi (English: Morandi Bridge), officially Viadotto Polcevera (English: Polcevera Viaduct), was a road viaduct in Genoa, Liguria, Italy, constructed between 1963 and 1967 along the A10 motorway over the Polcevera River, from which it derived its official name. It connected Genoa's Sampierdarena and Cornigliano districts across the Polcevera Valley. The bridge was widely called "Ponte Morandi" after its structural designer, engineer Riccardo Morandi.
Ponte Morandi | |
|---|---|
Ponte Morandi in 2010, viewed from west | |
| Coordinates | 44°25′33″N 08°53′20″E |
| Carries | Four lanes of roadway |
| Crosses | |
| Locale | Genoa, Liguria, Italy |
| Official name | Viadotto Polcevera |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 1,182 metres (3,878 ft) |
| Height | Piers 90.5 metres (297 ft), Road Deck 45 metres (148 ft) |
| Longest span | 210 metres (690 ft) |
| Clearance above | 40 metres (130 ft) |
| History | |
| Designer | Riccardo Morandi |
| Construction start | 1963 |
| Construction end | 1967 |
| Opened | 4 September 1967 |
| Collapsed | 14 August 2018 |
| Destroyed | 28 June 2019 |
| Location | |
On 14 August 2018, a 210-metre (690 ft) section of the viaduct collapsed during a rainstorm, killing forty-three people. The collapse led to a year-long state of emergency in the Liguria region, extensive analysis of the structural failure, and widely varying assignment of responsibility.
The remains of the original bridge were demolished in June 2019. The replacement bridge, the Genoa-Saint George Bridge was inaugurated a year later.