Besso underpass, removal of temporary bridges in Lugano station

A new phase of the Besso underpass is about to begin at Lugano station.

Between December 27, 2023 and February 5, 2024, teams from CSC Costruzioni will work with SBB personnel to remove the temporary rail bridges installed during the summer of 2022. As with their installation, one track (and its platform) will be barred in turn for the removal period. During this period, travelers to and from Lugano are encouraged to always check the timetable, online or on the SBB Mobile app, and to pay special attention to announcements at the station and on trains. There will in fact be several track changes and some connections will leave a few minutes early.

We meet Engineer Claudio Collenghi, Project Manager of CSC Costruzioni, who shares with us what there is to know about this project that began in January 2022:

Unparalleled pride

I am very proud to be part of this project with the support of 3 collaborators and about 50 employed workers. This construction site is an extremely complicated project located in the heart of Lugano that forces one to deal with solving various issues of the different transportation systems in the area where the underpass is being built without ever creating disruptions.

 

A real goal

The goal of the project is to create a "work of art" of livable pedestrian connection between east and west Lugano station, with the inclusion of commercial premises and a restaurant.

The underpass will be intended to become a new public transportation hub for the region by connecting the SBB station and the future tram-train.
 

Numerous achievements

The Besso Underpass is a complex construction site in terms of logistics and scheduling of both personnel and material procurement. The construction site is operational for most of the year on 2 shifts and for certain periods H24-7/7.

To complete this project, we have carried out a number of delicate operations over the months:

In August 2022 we assisted the specialist company in carrying out the first relocation of the historic building, we then carried out Berliners, excavations and all the C.A. works to then allow at the end of August 2023 to move the same building back to its final position with an additional relocation of about 30 meters.

During the fall, the entire rough structure under the railroad bed of the new underpass was completed, and as anticipated, between late December 2023 and early February 2024 we will go on to remove the temporary bridges and pedestrian walkways in the track area to rebuild everything according to plan and restore the full efficiency of the tracks and platforms of Lugano station to the public.

 

The next key steps

Between February 9 and 19, 2024, we will dismantle the terrace bridge, previously constructed by us, and move bus transit to the road under construction located above the slab of the structure.

In the year 2024, we will mainly focus on the end of the underpass i.e. in the area of Via Maraini -Bertaccio Park, and Via Basilea

In the first phase we will proceed with the displacement of the present underground utilities, in order to allow in spring 2024 the construction of the Berliners, foundations and subsequent laying of the temporary bridges over Via Maraini, scheduled for May 19, 2024.

The bridges will be laid to ensure the viability of the cantonal road "Via Maraini" being it one of the crucial and busiest roads in the City of Lugano during all the time necessary to allow the excavation and construction of the reinforced concrete works of the final section of the Besso Underpass.

When the reinforced concrete works are then finished between 2024 and 2025, we will remove the same temporaries and place the cantonal road in its final configuration.

In the year 2025, we will achieve the interior finishes of the underpass before it opens to the public.