Bologna, July 24, 2026 – A historic signing. For Bologna. For Emilia-Romagna and for Italy. Yesterday morning, at 11:30, the Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini hosted the Governor of Emilia-Romagna Michele de Pascale at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (Mit). The two signed the memorandum of understanding for the Passante. Also at the table were regional councilor Irene Priolo, the mayor of Bologna Matteo Lepore, and local councilor Michele Campaniello. In addition, the CEO of Aspi, Arrigo Giana, was present.
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A bipartisan result after 50 years of waiting
All those actors who for so many years have renegotiated a valid, serious, and definitive project for road viability within Bologna, the Nodo, but also in the surrounding areas, from the A14 towards Romagna to the A13 towards Ferrara. But above all, the difficulty has always been finding a project that would satisfy all political factions. From the center-right to the center-left, from governments to mayors, from committees to citizens. Now, the Passante, after about half a century of negotiations, has taken shape. Initially, the protocol is for 2.5 billion, of which 570 million for works that will start immediately, in early 2027, with the long-awaited fourth lane on the A14, between Bologna and the Ravenna branch. After the signing, only one thing is missing: the start of the works.
The exclusive interview with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Matteo Salvini
Matteo Salvini, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Bologna has been waiting for a solution on the Passante for 50 years. What does this agreement mean and what is your ‘signature’ on a project that has several innovative solutions?
“I am happy: this agreement marks a change of pace. After years of discussions, Bologna will have a more modern, sustainable, and coherent solution for a city that has changed in the meantime.”
This project is not the widening hoped for by many, even with different routes, but an important first step.
“It is a decidedly different work compared to the initial project, which was environmentally impactful and not very sustainable. In recent months, I have fought precisely so that the people of Bologna would have a project that did not consume new territory and that at the same time used advanced technology to manage flows and maintain an adequate level of performance without re-proposing past models. The signing is an important first step because it brings together different needs: mobility, safety, environment, territorial reconnection, and urban quality of life.”
In January 2023, there was talk of the ‘lot zero’ of the Passante: when will the first construction site really start? The President of the Region Michele de Pascale and the Mayor of Bologna Matteo Lepore urge you: ‘Now there are no more excuses’.
“That Lepore and de Pascale and I think diametrically opposite on many issues – from recent events in Bologna to many other issues we have discussed – is certainly not new. But political divisions, when it comes to public works useful for the territories, must not represent an obstacle: we sit at the same table to give citizens concrete answers. The country needs this, not confrontations that end up blocking development and well-being. I personally wanted the signing of the protocol precisely to ensure that the works start as soon as possible.”
The timing, Minister.
“Finally, from next spring, the construction sites will be operational. The so-called ‘lot zero’ represented the preparatory phase, necessary to set up the interventions and allow the start of the construction sites with a much more contained impact for citizens, users, and the territory. After decades of waiting, we are moving to the implementation phase.”
How will the construction phase be managed?
“This management will be one of the most delicate aspects, because the Bologna node is not just any road: it is a national crossing point, used every day by local traffic, long-distance traffic, heavy vehicles, and essential economic flows for the country.”
What have you planned?
“The new project aims to minimize interferences, working mainly on the existing infrastructure, limiting the occupation of external areas, and resorting to progressive construction phases, monitoring technologies, user information, and dynamic traffic management. The goal I have set for myself is to build without blocking Bologna and without interrupting the strategic function of the motorway axis.”
The Passante ‘unlocks’ the entire feeder system, from the A13 to other works on the Adriatic line, such as the works on the A14 motorway. Which ones are priorities?
“The priorities are those that produce the greatest benefit for the overall system. I am thinking of the widening of the A13 Bologna-Ferrara which will give the green light to the third lane, providing a concrete development opportunity for Ferrara and the entire province, tangibly impacting the daily lives of citizens, commuters, and businesses. But I am also thinking of the upgrading of the Bologna Arcoveggio-Interporto section and the modernization of the section up to Ferrara Sud, and the A14 Bologna San Lazzaro-Ravenna branch, with particular attention to the Ponte Rizzoli-Imola section and related works. These are accompanied by feeder interventions, such as the Intermedia di Pianura and the Triumvirato-Chiù connection, which are not minor works: they serve to better distribute flows, increase the resilience of the system, and alleviate pressure on the urban and metropolitan network.”
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