Catania, "revolution" at San Marco: wide entrances and new traffic layout

New developments are on the horizon for the large hospital south of the city. Indeed, work has begun on the expansion of the access lanes and reorganization of the road system at the San Marco Hospital, as ordered by the general director of the University Hospital Company "G. Rodolico–San Marco", Giorgio Giulio Santonocito.

The strategic intervention, carried out by the company in synergy with Mayor Enrico Trantino, Urban Planning Councillor Luca Sangiorgio, and Traffic Councillor Carmelo Coppolino, aims to improve accessibility to the healthcare facility and make the management of vehicular traffic within the hospital area more efficient.

The project includes the expansion from two to five lanes from the main entrance on Viale Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, thanks to the use of adjacent company-owned land. A new signage system will be installed to be more intuitive for users, and the dedicated accesses for emergency vehicles and staff will be maintained and made more recognizable.

Particular attention has been given to the separation of traffic flows, with separate paths for both directions of travel around the large parking lot.

The new layout will allow for a more orderly and faster distribution of vehicles heading to the various hospital services, reduce waiting times during peak traffic hours, and overall improve the safety of circulation in the hospital area with clearer, smoother, and more functional paths. Access to the parking lots will also be simplified to make it more immediate.

"The work that has begun in these days - explains General Director Santonocito - aims to resolve the situation of significant severity that had arisen, with emergency ambulances often blocked for long minutes at the hospital entrances due to queues of private cars and congestion at the roundabout. This is just a first step in the improvement program for reception. We are also evaluating the possibility of creating new accesses at other points of the facility."