On January 10, 2025,  the Ministry of the Environment   approved with requirements the VIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) of the final project for the construction of the Fontanabuona tunnel.

The project - that will be carried out by Autostrade per l'Italia with an estimated cost of approximately 300 million euros - involves the construction of a complete junction that connects to the A12 motorway in the section between the existing Giovanni Maggio and Casalino tunnels.  There will be entry/exit ramps both in the direction of Genoa and in the direction of Livorno. A ramp of approximately 5.6 km, mainly composed of the two new Caravaggio (2092.66 m) and Fontanabuona (2582.99 m) tunnels, with a single tube with two unidirectional ramps separated by a partition and characterized by a 4 m wide lane in each direction with two 1 m wide side shoulders. At the end of the Fontanabuona tunnel, near the junction with the provincial road SP22,  construction of the toll collection barrier is planned. The project also includes the adaptation of the SP22 between the intersection with the main ramp and the SP225 at the town of Moconesi. At the two intersections, the construction of two roundabouts and the construction of a new bridge to cross the Lavagna stream is planned.

In 2024, the law on the Integrated Regional Plan for Mobility, Infrastructure and Transport (Priimt) was approved with a list of works defined as strategic, including the connection of the Fontanabuona with the A12. In that law, it was established that these works can proceed bypassing municipal urban planning tools. In the case of the Fontanabuona tunnel, this was a fundamental step, because at the time the Rapallo Puc did not foresee it, with the consequent paralysis of the Via process and the concrete risk of blocking its construction.

 The Fontanabuona tunnel is part of the Compensation Agreement signed on 14 October 2021 between the Liguria Region, the Municipality of Genoa, the Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority, Autostrade per l’Italia and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility, with the commitment of Aspi for approximately 1.5 billion euros in total, both for the compensation due and for the construction of a series of works, including the connection of the A12 motorway with the Fontanabuona Valley.

 Before starting the works that will last approximately 6 years, it will be necessary to proceed with the conference of services in which all the public administration subjects  interested in the project will participate and with the updating of the executive project with the requirements dictated by the Ministry of the Environment regarding above all the hydrogeological aspects and the safety of the slopes.

 For further information click here for tunnelbuilder archive and visit https://www.regione.liguria.it/. 03/25.