Military and civilian authorities conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 21 near the entrance to Caserma Del Din to mark the completion of the installation's access road upgrade.
The project is the result of a design coordinated by the Italian and American military with the city of Vicenza, at no cost for the local administration.
With several families of nearby residents and media in attendance, the ceremony's sequence of events included a welcome by U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza commander, Col. Robert L. Menist Jr. and remarks from guest speakers Col. Massimo Cicerone, Italian Air Force, commander of the 3? Stormo based in Villafranca, Verona; and from Cristina Balbi, Vicenza Assessor to urban planning.
The four-month construction project, worth 2.4 million euro, involved road rebuilding and widening, construction of a bike path, sidewalks, updated traffic signals and new LED street lighting.
"The new road enhances accessibility and general safety around Del Din as part of our commitment to reduce the impact on the local traffic and improve quality of life for our Soldiers who live at Del Din and our Italian neighbors in the surrounding community," Menist said.
The portion of Viale Arturo Ferrarin that links the entrance of Del Din to the roundabout at Viale Jacopo Dal Verme is a 900-meter straight asphalt roadway owned by the Italian Air Force. The road provides the only access to the military base and to the nearby residences of approximately 20 Italian families.
"This road had several traffic concerns, particularly for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles sharing the same laneway. The upgrade, which took into account recommendations suggested by the city, is incredibly valuable," said Balbi. She added that the value of the work is for road users who live and work at Del Din and for residents, as well as for the entire community as the bike path connects directly to the city network and encourages sustainable transportation.
Praising the great Italian-American team work that led to a safer road and a more accessible installation, Cicerone said that Vicenza sets the example in Italy of the successful synergies resulting from collaborative efforts and transparent dialogue between civilian and military agencies.
Local residents congratulated the military for the new road and appreciated the investment that will bring long-term benefits for Soldiers and Italian neighbors alike. They were also pleased to hear from the city official that the new road will accommodate the public bus transportation system as early as September.
Meanwhile, traffic-calming measures are being studied to address the concern that the new long and straight road may encourage increased speeds, Menist said.
The upgrade complements the Del Din installation opened in 2013. Work was overseen by the regional officer in charge of construction in Northern Italy for the Naval Facility Command, and modified into the existing contract entitled Multiple Facilities Complex Dal Molin. Construction was carried out by the contractor solicited via full and open competition in 2007.
Social Sharing