Ticino opens replacement Visletto bridge after 2024 floods

Ticino inaugurated the new Visletto bridge over the Maggia River on Saturday, restoring a key road connection to the upper Maggia Valley, SRF reported. The bridge was due to open to vehicle traffic from 4:30 p.m.

The replacement was built farther upstream than the original, a decision the cantonal building and environment department said would improve its resistance to erosion. More than 150 metres long, it has a reinforced-concrete road deck and is designed to carry water, electricity, sewage and telecommunications lines. The canton is covering the full cost of 10.5 million francs.

The bridge is a central step in restoring the area, but further work is planned to improve flood protection and routes for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as to redesign the Visletto district.

The original bridge was swept away by the swollen Maggia on the night of June 29 to 30, 2024. Several side valleys were temporarily cut off by road. Seven people died in the severe weather, and one person remains missing.