Genoa, 5 June 2026 – As of today, a new cross-section of Genoa’s port road infrastructure opens, spanning the upper carriageway of the new Pope Bridge and linking directly to the port flyover; the lower deck of the bridge had already entered service. The inauguration of the bridge, applauded for its state-of-the-art design, marks a further milestone in the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority’s extensive 176-million euro last-mile road link investment plan,designed to improve overland accessibility to the Port of Genoa.
The new infrastructure comprises a dual-deck bridge providing a total of four traffic lanes and includes the westbound opening of a temporary elevated port gate, pending completion of the permanent automated facility on the right bank of the Polcevera Stream. The project delivers a dedicated road link for heavy-goods vehicles travelling from the Genova Airport motorway junction directly to the cargo terminal facilities in Sampierdarena. By diverting freight traffic away from urban roads and internal port routes, the new link is expected to alleviate congestion significantly. Approximately 900/1000 inbound HGVs will be intercepted directly from the motorway network, enabling faster transit times and allowing trucks to bypass the city entirely.
The new Pope Bridge is a pioneering feat of engineering. Featuring a double-deck arch structure with a single span of 100 metres, it is the first viaduct in Europe to have adopted this innovative design solution.
The planned wide-ranging large-scale road infrastructure cuts approximately 6 km across the Port of Genoa-Sampierdarena, stretching from the western part of the city to the container terminal facilities at Calata Bettolo and Sanità in San Benigno, whilst also providing direct connections to the Genova-Ovest motorway junction.
The next phase of the project is scheduled for completion on 15 June and will establish a direct link between the extended refurbished flyover and the San Benigno port gate. This link will be facilitated by a new ramp delivered by Autostrade per l’Italia (ASPI), as part of the wider infrastructure programme associated with the construction of the new underwater road tunnel. By the end of the month, demolition of the former Pope Bridge is also expected to be concluded. The former bridge has remained in operation as a temporary measure during construction of the new infrastructure, but it will now be demolished to create a safer layout, particularly in terms of hydraulic conditions at the mouth of the Polcevera Stream.
By the end of 2026, the elevated Strada della Superba will be fully integrated with the new port flyover and, at that stage, the upgraded road network will provide a seamless high-capacity overland freight corridor between the right bank of the Polcevera Stream and the San Benigno gate, creating a direct route between the cargo terminals and the motorway junctions of Genova-Ovest and Genova Airport.
The project is also expected to deliver immediate benefits for the road haulage sector through the creation of an additional 70 temporary parking spaces along the existing elevated roadway adjacent to the San Benigno port gate. This initiative represents the first phase of a proposed larger truck parking facility that could be developed across a public–private partnership.
The prime objective of the overall project is to offer the daily high volume of HGVs serving the Port of Genoa with the opportunity to enter and exit the port more rapidly and efficiently, with a sharp reduction in transit and dwelling times. The upgraded infrastructure will also ensure the port is well positioned to accommodate the projected growth in freight volumes arising from the construction of the new open-sea breakwater, thereby consolidating Genoa’s leading role as a modern logistics platform in the Mediterranean, at the heart of Europe’s major manufacturing and consumer centres.
