Doubling and Upgrading of the National Road 640

KEY FACTS

Services:
• Preliminary Design
• Construction Supervision

Location:
Agrigento-Caltanissetta, Sicilia

Country/Region:
Italy

General Contractor:
Empedocle 2 scpa (C.M.C di Ravenna Società Cooperativa )

Client:
ANAS S.p.A. (National Road Authority)

Completion Date:
Ongoing

Characteristics:
• 2 carriageways with 2-lane of 3,75 m each, for a total roadway of 28,2 Km
• 5 artificial tunnels and 4 natural tunnels with twin-tubes;
• The main tunnel “Caltanissetta” is excavated by a TBM-EPB with a diameter of 15,08 m
• 6 interchanges
• 13 viaducts totaling 4.900

This road infrastructure is located in Agrigento and Caltanissetta Provinces and it includes the upgrading of the Agrigento-Caltanissetta Road.

In the first lot, stretches from km 10+200 to 44+000, and in the second lot, stretches from km 44+000 to A19 interchange, was adopted a platform "B type” - extra urban road, four lanes, two for each carriageway, with a width of 22 m (DM 5/11/2001).

In the first lot was built a service road along its entire length and with seven interchanges; in the second lot six new interchanges are included.

On February 4th, 2016 the ANAS’ President announced that the SS 640 will be denominated "the writers' Road."

 

LOT 1:

The detailed design and approval stage of the first lot was completed in 2012 and the construction  started in 2012 and is still in progress (about 90% progress). The construction cost is € 439 M

The adaptation of the platform to the new type of dual-carriageway roads is, over much of the length, achieved by widening the existing road for a total length of 28.2 Km.

It includes the construction of two cut-and-cover sections with a total length of 300 m and twenty viaducts and bridges, totaling about 6500 m.

The viaduct “Serra Cazzola” stands out in terms of technical characteristics and the viaduct is 980 m long and has piers of up to 70 m high.

 

LOT 2:

The construction cost is € 635 M and the technical staff employed in the project has been about 30 people, including road engineers, bridge engineers, tunnel engineers, hydraulic engineers, utilities engineers, environmental engineers, quantity surveyors.

The road has a total length of 32 Km; the principal axis includes the following main structures: 13 viaducts, 5 cut-and-cover sections, 4 natural tunnels and 8 crossovers.

The main natural tunnel "Caltanissetta" is excavated by TBM (diameter 15 m) for about 8000 m. Considering the size of the excavation and the mechanical characteristics of the affected soil, the use of an EPB is envisaged. The machine offers the possibility to perform consolidations from the “back”.