On the same stretch, 18 viaducts have already been rebuilt and reopened to traffic
L’Aquila, 16 October 2025 – Toto Costruzioni Generali continues its seismic upgrading work on the A24 motorway, near the Tornimparte junction. Just before dawn, the controlled demolition of the west carriageway of the Valle Orsara viaduct, heading towards Rome, was completed using micro-explosive charges. The operation, which lasted only a few seconds, was the result of careful planning and extensive preparation, allowing for the safe reopening of both directions within a few hours for travellers and workers.
The operation is part of the reconstruction and seismic upgrading plan, which is nearing completion on three other structures between the Tornimparte and L’Aquila Ovest junctions. In recent years, Toto Costruzioni Generali has already completed and delivered 18 new viaducts, upgraded to the latest seismic regulations, enabling the reopening of dual carriageways on the route closest to the Abruzzo capital. For three other viaducts near Tornimparte, work continues on new corten steel spans on the carriageway towards Rome, while the one heading towards L’Aquila has already been rebuilt and reopened.
The Valle Orsara viaduct, built in the 1960s, spans one of the highest motorway sections in peninsular Italy, exceeding 1,000 metres in altitude. The original structure, 150 metres long and composed of four reinforced concrete spans, will be replaced by a cutting-edge structure. The new viaduct, made of corten steel and concrete, is ideal for an Apennine area subject to significant temperature fluctuations. Designed according to the 2018 regulations, it will be able to withstand high-intensity earthquakes thanks to greater elasticity and the use of next-generation seismic isolators.
Throughout the duration of the works, motorway traffic continuity is ensured by diverting flows to the opposite carriageway. This approach has been a key element of all seismic upgrading interventions on a motorway that is strategic for Civil Protection, ensuring continuous connection between Rome and L’Aquila and between the country’s two main coastal motorways.
