Inauguration Ceremony Held on Sunday, December 1, 2024
On Sunday, December 1, 2024, the inauguration ceremony for the “Gallico – Gambarie” road took place.
In early 2016, the AVR Group embarked on a new path in the construction sector with the awarding of the Executive Design and Construction Contract for the 3rd lot of the “Gallico – Gambarie” road (section: Mulini di Calanna – junction for Podargoni – Santo Stefano d’Aspromonte), located in the territory of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria.
The project, commissioned by the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria and valued at approximately €65 million, spans a total length of 5.920 km, of which 2.306 km (around 40% of the route) is built on viaducts. The first and second lots of the road, completed by ANAS S.p.A., form the starting section that connects to the Gallico junction on the A2 motorway (SA-RC), heading inland toward the mountain resort area. The route follows and connects towns originally served by State Road S.S.184 (formerly SP 07).
The entire road runs along the Gallico stream, intersecting it multiple times and adding complexity to construction due to the alluvial nature of the terrain and the frequent hydrogeological events that alter its course and characteristics. The project also included the construction of several protective structures along the streambanks, such as retaining walls, precast concrete elements, reinforced earth walls, anchored sheet pile walls with piles and micropiles, as well as slope stabilization works and rockfall protection barriers.
All 9 viaducts were built using a mixed steel/reinforced concrete system, featuring weathering “Corten” steel decks with cast-in-place concrete slabs. Piers and abutments were constructed using cast-in-place reinforced concrete, founded on pile caps with either piles or micropiles, depending on the loads and subsurface geomechanics.
A highlight of the project is the innovative seismic protection technology used for the structures: pendulum-type seismic isolators were installed instead of traditional fixed or sliding steel-Teflon bearings.
Key Figures of the Project
The Gallico-Gambarie road construction involved approximately 600 workers and technicians at its peak, engaged in core site activities such as: large-diameter piles and micropile foundations, slope stabilization along the future route, retaining walls (both cast-in-place and precast), hydraulic works to maintain water flow continuity, naturalistic engineering interventions, and the construction of foundations and elevation structures for viaduct piers and abutments. The construction process was accompanied by continuous quality assurance operations, including laboratory testing, on-site inspections, and work-in-progress testing, ensuring top-tier execution and compliance with all health and safety measures to protect on-site personnel.
The inauguration ceremony, held on Sunday, December 1 at 10:30 AM, was attended by both local residents and public authorities.
The completion of the entire route significantly reduces travel time from the coast to Gambarie (approximately 20–25 minutes, down from the previous 45–50), while substantially improving safety and driving comfort.
Throughout the construction phases, the high engineering standards of the project captured the attention of schools, universities, and professional associations. These institutions organized internships and educational site visits, offering future engineers and surveyors from Calabria a valuable opportunity for on-site learning.
These outreach activities further enhanced the value of the Gallico-Gambarie project, establishing it as a technically complex and highly significant infrastructure, drawing both engineering and media interest. Beyond being a remarkable achievement for the AVR Group, the road will play a vital role in improving access to the Aspromonte National Park and boosting tourism and commerce in the Gambarie area and the entire region.
Gallico-Gambarie Expressway – 3rd Lot
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