Testing of the new bridge over the Adda River

Testing of the new bridge over the Adda River: main deck load tests completed

The construction site of the new bridge over the Adda River (New Manzoni Bridge, SS36 “Lake Como and Splügen Pass” route) has entered a particularly significant phase: last week the static load test of the main deck was carried out, a crucial step to verify on site the structure’s behavior under the expected service conditions.
As already explained in our previous article on the progress of the works (https://www.steelproject.it/avanzamento-cantiere-del-nuovo-ponte-manzoni/), this new infrastructure—worth about €35 million in construction works—will run alongside the existing bridge and will help upgrade the northbound carriageway to three traffic lanes.

The project is among the strategic interventions in view of Milano–Cortina 2026, with expected benefits also in terms of safety and more sustainable mobility, thanks to the cycle path included in the design. Some Steel Project Engineering team members visited the site and attended the load tests on the main deck, which involved the use of more than 10 vehicles, each weighing 42 tonnes, arranged in different loading configurations.
Following the testing of the main deck, the programme will continue with the load testing of the ramps, scheduled for the last days of December.

This stage will complete the checks on the access and connection works.