Cantello: Administration and Legambiente united to cancel the 'Gaggiolo peduncle' project
The municipal administration and Legambiente Cantello request the removal of the project for the four-lane superhighway between Italy and Switzerland.
Contesto
The municipal administration of Cantello and the local branch of Legambiente have submitted a formal request to cancel the 'Gaggiolo peduncle' project, a four-lane superhighway that would connect Via Peschiera to the border with Switzerland, specifically with the municipality of Mendrisio. Although the project has never been funded, it represents a 'ghost' that has loomed over the territory for over a decade, with preliminary studies dating back to 2010 and an estimated investment of around 50 million euros. The protest comes amid the delicate process of revising the Provincial Territorial Coordination Plan (PTCP), which has been ongoing since 2018 and is scheduled to conclude in 2025. ## Risks for Agriculture and Livability The criticisms raised by the Municipality leave no room for interpretation. The idea of a highway-type infrastructure, with two lanes in each direction, is rejected outright. In addition to the definitive consumption of land, the management of the construction sites themselves is concerning. The storage of excavated earth necessary for the artificial tunnels would end up suffocating the fields where the asparagus of Cantello grows, a gastronomic excellence and pillar of the rural economy. The annual production of asparagus in the municipality of Cantello amounts to approximately 300 tonnes, with an estimated economic value of 1.5 million euros. 📊 Operational checklist for impact assessment: - Agriculture: Loss of 20 hectares of agricultural land, equivalent to 10% of the cultivated area of the municipality. - Environment: Destruction of a wetland area in the process of being created thanks to Interreg European funds, with an investment of 200,000 euros. - Livability: Division of the inhabited center of Gaggiolo, with a projected 30% increase in...
Dettagli operativi
It's not just a matter of landscape, but of international traffic logic. According to the mayor of Cantello, the overlap of the new route with the current provincial road 3 would increase traffic and create a technical paradox at the border. 'We have highlighted the discontinuity that the route would have with the Swiss part – they explain from the municipality – considering that there would be a junction arriving in dual carriageway at the pass and then should continue in a single lane.' ## The traffic paradox and the 'Swiss bottleneck' The concrete risk is that many drivers, to avoid the junction or possible tolls, will end up pouring into the internal roads of the country, worsening the quality of the air and the life of the residents. According to a study conducted by Legambiente, a 20% increase in traffic on internal roads could lead to a 15% increase in CO2 emissions, exceeding the limits set by the Kyoto Protocol for 2025. 📊 Relevant data: - Current traffic: around 10,000 vehicles per day on the provincial road 3. - Expected increase: up to 12,000 vehicles per day with the new route. - Current emissions: 500 tonnes of CO2 per year. - Expected emissions: 575 tonnes of CO2 per year with the increase in traffic. The comparison with the nearby Ticino municipalities, such as Mendrisio and Stabio, shows a different approach to the management of cross-border traffic. Mendrisio, for example, has implemented a system of dynamic tolls that has reduced traffic by 12% in 2023, significantly improving air quality. ## The bureaucratic process: the ball passes to the Province The game is now played on a purely technical and administrative ground. The Provincial Council will adopt the proposal to revise the PTCP, the urban planning tool that defines the major development...
Punti chiave
For Cantello, this is the crucial moment: the goal is to convince Villa Recalcati and, by extension, the Lombardy Region, that the 'final lot' of the Pedemontana no longer has any reason to exist. The position that the municipality of Cantello will bring to the attention of the Province is clear: to join forces with the Lombardy Region to cancel the project from the forecasts. If it is not possible to completely remove it, the administration at least asks for the project to be downgraded. ## What to do now The citizens of Cantello and environmentalists can present their observations during the 60-day period provided for observations on the PTCP. It is important to actively participate in this process to express concerns and suggestions. For further information and to submit observations, you can contact the municipal administration of Cantello or Legambiente Cantello. ### Concrete examples and real numbers The 'Gaggiolo spur' represents an estimated cost of around 50 million euros, an amount that, according to the administration of Cantello, could be better spent on sustainable mobility projects and green infrastructure. For example, the municipality of Mendrisio, in Ticino, recently invested 12 million Swiss francs in cycling paths and urban greenery, reducing CO2 emissions by 20% in one year. ### Regulations and dates Regional regulations provide that by June 30, 2024, all interested municipalities must submit their observations to the PTCP. If this deadline is not met, the observations may not be considered. Furthermore, Regional Law No. 12/2020 establishes that infrastructure works must be evaluated not only in terms of cost but also in terms of environmental and social impact. ### Operational checklist 1. Signature collection: Organize a petition to collect...
Punti chiave
[{"q":"What are the main risks of the 'Gaggiolo stem' project?","a":"The main risks include the definitive consumption of agricultural land, particularly for the cultivation of white asparagus, a gastronomic excellence and pillar of the rural economy of Cantello. Additionally, the work would have a significant impact on the quality of life of the residents of Gaggiolo, who would see the inhabited center cut in two by the connection road."},{"q":"What is the position of the municipal administration of Cantello?","a":"The municipal administration of Cantello is clearly against the 'Gaggiolo stem' project. Mayor Gunnar Vincenzi has defined the work as an asphalt funnel between Italy and Switzerland, which would ruin vast agricultural areas and worsen the quality of life of residents."},{"q":"What are the next steps in the process of revising the PTCP?","a":"The Provincial Council will adopt the proposal to revise the PTCP, starting a 60-day period for observations by municipalities, associations, and citizens. Subsequently, the technical offices of the Province will evaluate the observations and decide whether to accept or reject them. Finally, the Plan will return to the Provincial Council for final approval."}]
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the main risks of the 'Gaggiolo stem' project?
- The main risks include the definitive consumption of agricultural land, particularly for the cultivation of white asparagus, a gastronomic excellence and pillar of the rural economy of Cantello. Additionally, the work would have a significant impact on the quality of life of the residents of Gaggiolo, who would see the inhabited center cut in two by the connection road.
- What is the position of the municipal administration of Cantello?
- The municipal administration of Cantello is clearly against the 'Gaggiolo stem' project. Mayor Gunnar Vincenzi has defined the work as an asphalt funnel between Italy and Switzerland, which would ruin vast agricultural areas and worsen the quality of life of residents.
- What are the next steps in the process of revising the PTCP?
- The Provincial Council will adopt the proposal to revise the PTCP, starting a 60-day period for observations by municipalities, associations, and citizens. Subsequently, the technical offices of the Province will evaluate the observations and decide whether to accept or reject them. Finally, the Plan will return to the Provincial Council for final approval.