Potholes and raised asphalt: the ring road is an obstacle course and bursts into the electoral campaign

Potholes, depressions, and deteriorated asphalt continue to mark the daily lives of motorists. A widespread issue that, despite announcements, is still far from a structural solution. The topic bursts into the electoral campaign and becomes a battleground. But in Messina, the problem exists and does not only concern the outskirts. This follows a video by Cateno De Luca, in which he stages a fall into a pothole in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto. Responding to him is the center-right mayoral candidate, Marcello Scurria, who points out the state of the potholes in Messina, and at that point, Federico Basile responds to Scurria, recalling the interventions made. But in Messina, the problem exists and does not only concern the outskirts. The ring road, a high-traffic road, has been in precarious condition for years. Every day, hundreds of motorists and scooter riders face a real obstacle course. The irregularities of the road surface, with the asphalt lifted by the presence of pine roots, pose a concrete risk, especially for those traveling on two wheels. The situation is well known at Palazzo Zanca, where a plan for the progressive replacement of trees with species more suitable for the urban context is under study. However, this is still a preliminary phase: the pines have been monitored by specialized technicians, but concrete interventions will take time. The public company Messinaservizi, which manages the maintenance of public greenery, will take care of it. In the meantime, reports from citizens and requests for intervention from the districts are increasing. The issues are not limited to the ring road but affect all neighborhoods. While waiting for the structural works, which should be carried out with the funds intercepted by Palazzo Zanca, the intervention of extraordinary commissioner Piero Mattei is recorded, who announced immediate measures, inviting Amam to take care of maintenance. However, these are just stopgap operations: the company has an open contract of 800 thousand euros, useful for urgent but not definitive work. Last February, the former mayor, Federico Basile, announced the acquisition of 33 million and 200 thousand euros from the Region, resources from the Development and Cohesion Fund. A “road plan” included in a three-year intervention program. The publication of the decrees with the distribution of funds and, above all, with the list of projects eligible for funding is now awaited. The project includes the repaving of over 75 kilometers of roads and the redevelopment of nearly 50 thousand square meters of sidewalks. The interventions have been divided into eight operational areas, with an average cost for each exceeding four million euros. In addition to the paving, the plan includes work on the repair of the

sidewalks and road appurtenances, with the aim of improving pedestrian accessibility and safety. Amid projects under study and construction sites still far off, citizens continue to deal with damaged roads and maintenance that struggles to keep up with the emergency.