The enhancement of the Adriatic Line introduces a new connectivity scenario to the Single European Transportation Area. By being a functional axis connecting the country north to south, the Line represents an important northbound freight route from the ports of Gioia Tauro, Taranto and Brindisi, bringing added intermodality and rail logistics growth benefit in the south.
The Line, currently crossed by intense heterogeneous traffic, has significant capacity limitations that negatively affect the service. This has made it necessary to consider the development of the entire Line.
Track-quadrupling works on the Bologna–Castel Bolognese–Riolo Terme line represents the first priority phase in the project to upgrade the Adriatic line to high-speed and high-capacity standards (maximum speed 250 km/h). With this in mind, completion of the HS/HC four-track expansion works between Bologna and Lecce is currently the subject of a Feasibility Document of Design Alternatives, aimed first and foremost at identifying further construction lots to follow the priority Bologna - Castel Bolognese section from an infrastructural and socio-economic point of view.
The overall project involves the construction of a line with a total length of approximately 780 km, divided into seven sections, as well as the construction of interconnections linking to the existing line and new stations.
The competences attributed to the extraordinary commissioners appointed for realisation of the works affecting the same Adriatic Line in whole or in part - "Termoli-Lesina track-doubling works", "Bari railway junction", "Napoli-Bari" - will not be affected.
The work is fully funded for what concerns the Bologna-Castel Bolognese section.
Aldo Isi was appointed Extraordinary Government Commissioner for the completion of the works.
