Ponte Morandi

Ponte Morandi
Ponte Morandi in 2010, viewed from west
Coordinates44°25′33″N 08°53′20″E / 44.42583°N 8.88889°E / 44.42583; 8.88889
CarriedFour lanes of roadway
Crossed
LocaleGenoa, Liguria, Italy
Official nameViadotto Polcevera
Characteristics
DesignCable-stayed bridge
Total length1,182 metres (3,878 ft)
HeightPiers 90.5 metres (297 ft),
Road Deck 45 metres (148 ft)
Longest span210 metres (690 ft)
Clearance above40 metres (130 ft)
History
DesignerRiccardo Morandi
Construction start1963
Construction end1967
Opened4 September 1967 (1967-09-04)
Collapsed14 August 2018 (2018-08-14)
Destroyed28 June 2019 (2019-06-28)
Replaced byGenoa-Saint George Bridge
Location

Ponte Morandi (English: Morandi Bridge), officially Viadotto Polcevera (English: Polcevera Viaduct), was a road viaduct in Genoa, Liguria, Italy, constructed between 1963 and 1967 along the A10 motorway over the Polcevera River, from which it derived its official name. It connected Genoa's Sampierdarena and Cornigliano districts across the Polcevera Valley. The bridge was widely called "Ponte Morandi" after its structural designer, engineer Riccardo Morandi.

On 14 August 2018, a 210-metre (690 ft) section of the viaduct collapsed during a rainstorm, resulting in the deaths of 43 people. The collapse led to a year-long state of emergency in the Liguria region, extensive analysis of the structural failure, and widely varying assignment of responsibility.

The remains of the original bridge were demolished in June 2019. The replacement bridge, the Genoa-Saint George Bridge was inaugurated a year later.