Closing Corso Italia Eliminates a Vital Escape Route in Case of Disaster

A "head-on collision" is looming over a request made by Rfi Ferrovie dello Stato which, as part of a modernization plan for the network, intends to eliminate the level crossing on Corso Italia, redirecting vehicle traffic for Riposto towards the underpass on Via Croci.

The issue was at the center of a technical meeting held at the town hall, attended by Mayor Leo Cantarella, the Asset Management Councillor, Giuseppe Cavallaro, and officials and technical representatives from Rfi, some of whom were connected remotely from Rome and Palermo. The meeting highlighted a vast distance between the modernization strategies of Ferrovie dello Stato and the urban planning vision of the Administration led by Mayor Leo Cantarella, who reiterated his opposition to the initiative as it - the mayor emphasized - impacts the urban decor and the landscape system that connects the municipalities of Giarre and Riposto.

Moreover, according to Mayor Cantarella, the closure of the level crossing could have implications for Civil Protection, as Corso Italia is a primary and reference road and thus a escape route in case of major disasters. Furthermore, the underpass on Via Croci has shown its limitations in terms of safety on several occasions, penalizing, due to its height, the passage of special vehicles, trucks, or lorries for exceptional transports.

A radical intervention of great impact that - according to the municipal Administration - completely ignores the topography and the vibrant life of the Giarre-Riposto area. "Corso Italia - the mayor of Giarre emphasized - is not just any road; it is the primary artery of the city. Closing it would mean eliminating a vital escape route in case of natural disasters, a risk that an Administration cannot afford to take. The elimination of the level crossing would break the landscape and urban connection that historically unites the two communities, creating a physical "wall" where there is currently commercial and social continuity."

For Rfi, on the other hand, it is a solution that, in intention, would serve to streamline rail traffic and increase the safety of the line. At this point, the Administration will have to confirm its denial, specifying the reasons for the dissent in a note that must be sent to Rfi.

It is not excluded that the prefect may be involved in the matter, called to mediate between the needs of developing the national railway network and the right of a community not to be dismantled. The game has just begun and could conceal unexpected developments.