The Province of Alessandria is located in Piedmont Region, North-Western Italy, where the 20th Winter Olympic Games took place in February 2006. Since October 2001, when competences on former National road network (hitherto managed by A.N.A.S. - Azienda Nazionale Autonoma Strade - National Agency for Road Management) were transferred under the legislation of Italian Provinces, the Province of Alessandria, third province of Piedmont by territorial extension, manages 2,150 km. of extraurban roads, comprising 1765 km. of "historical" province roads and 380 km. of former national roads. Several bridges are located on this extra-urban road network. 138 constructions are disseminated along the "historical" province roads, and other 225are situated on former national roads, which makes a total of 363 constructions that the Road System Department of the Province of Alessandria mustkeep in efficient working order. Over the last ten years the Province of Alessandria has experienced a few impressive natural disasters such as theflood of river Tanaro in 1994, the flood of river Po in 2000, the one of torrent Scrivia in 2002, as well as the earthquakes of 2000 and 2003 and quite a lot of hydrogeological disturbances. As a consequence of those extraordinary cataclysms, new works were started along the courses of Tanaro and Scrivia, aimed at the realization of reinforced-concrete or pre-stressed reinforced concrete bridges, with span length over 100 m. and development over 500 m. In addition to it, pre-existing ancient bridges were reconstructed along river Bormida and torrent Scrivia, using innovative environmental-friendly building techniques, and preserving the aesthetical featuresof "historical" buildings. A lot of brickwork arch bridges built in the first years of the 20th century need road widening today in order to fit tothe new geometries of commercial traffic flow, as well as footways to provide pedestrian safety. For the covering abstract see ITRD E139491.
Abstract