The pedestrian walkways and flowerbeds: new face for the waterfront of Palermo, approval for the 12.5 million project on via Crispi

The City Council of Palermo has officially approved the resolution for the redevelopment of the "Crispi" waterfront, acquiring the Feasibility Document for Project Alternatives (DOCFAP). The intervention, with a total value of 12.5 million euros, is funded by the FSC Programming 2021-2027 and represents the result of collaboration between the Municipality and the Port System Authority of the Western Sicilian Sea. The goal is to transform the area into a modern connection point, eliminating the historic barrier between the port and the city center and improving the management of flows of cruise passengers, residents, and heavy vehicles.

The first functional lot, with a budget of 3 million euros, concerns the redevelopment of the road axis of Via Francesco Crispi and Via dell'Arsenale. The project involves reducing the section of the central median by eliminating the internal sidewalks, while maintaining the existing flowerbed. This operation will allow for an increase in the roadway of about 1.5 meters per lane, facilitating traffic flow. A new roundabout at Piazzetta della Pace is also planned, along with a specific study on the existing tree species. The executive design is already underway, and the completion of the works is scheduled for April 2027.

The second lot, financed with 5 million euros, involves the construction of a double elevated pedestrian walkway. The infrastructure will connect the new city-port interface building with Piazza Camilleri, creating a sort of "suspended square" that will serve as an extension of public space. To select the best architectural idea, given the nature of this new urban landmark, an international design competition will be announced. The completion of the works is expected in the first half of 2027, with the aim of inaugurating the project by the end of the same year.

The mayor Roberto Lagalla stated that the project will provide the people of Palermo with a safe and modern urban space, defining the walkway as a symbol of a city capable of enhancing its maritime vocation. The Urban Planning Councillor, Maurizio Carta, emphasized how the new suspended square will generate a new quality of public space, while the commissioner of the Port Authority, Annalisa Tardino, expressed pride in an intervention that will make Palermo an increasingly open and integrated port within the urban fabric.