Bridge over the Po River – the maxi launching concluded

With the laying of the first large arch in the middle of the Po, the first phase of the launching of the new Bridge is concluded

To the sound of the sirens of the tugboats that steered the standard barge, under the roaring applause of the workers and technicians of Toto Costruzioni Generali, Fagioli Spa and all the bystanding citizens who crowded the areas around the construction site, the launching of the first of the two arched decks that make up the new anti-seismic bridge to cross the Po River between the towns of San Benedetto Po and Bagnolo San Vito in the Province of Mantua ended at 5 p.m. on 5 December.

The operations lasted four days and three nights to move the corten steel deck, 180 meters long and weighing 2800 tons, from the San Benedetto Po yard where it was built to the supports on the specially raised temporary piers.

Everything started on the morning of Thursday, December 2, with the approach of the special barge to the right floodplain of the river. Once the barge was stabilized, the transfer phase of the colossal structure began, consisting of an orthotropic slab deck, arch-to-pillar connecting cables and a 35-metre high arch. The operation was carried out by means of special 284-axle radio-controlled SPMT (self propelled modular transporters) trolleys and was completed in the late evening of December 4.

The translation of the 180 meters long corten steel deck.

During the night between Saturday and Sunday, December 5, the deck placed on the barge, thanks to a pulling system made of steel cables and fixed moorings, covered the distance of 35 meters that separated it from the temporary pile placed in the riverbed where it was supported with a precision maneuver, with the help of computerized hydraulic jacks.

Activities at the Toto site have already resumed to transport machinery and equipment used in this first launch to the opposite bank, in the municipality of Bagnolo San Vito, to be used in the launch of the second 149-metre long deck.