The road changes started yesterday on Viale Principe Umberto in view of the start of the works for the conservative restoration of the ancient customs walls commissioned by Charles V. What almost everyone calls the arch of Christ the King will have to be restored to a safe and visitable condition. Yesterday, as expected, the construction site began, although the bulk of the work will start in the next few days.
The Metropolitan City was in charge of the contract, working with Palazzo Zanca (in particular with the Councilor for Public Works Salvatore Mondello) to include the sums in the large chapter of the integrated urban plans – the same ones that finance the reconversion of the city of Ragazzo – of the Pnrr and overcome the impasse recorded in those four years between October 2021, when Viale Principe Umberto was cut in two due to some collapses of the walls centuries-old.
Those walls are still one of the most sought-after monuments by cruise passengers who take guided tours of the city, but they see them sacrificed inside those heavy anti-fall nets. The works will obviously involve some road changes, but fortunately (at least for the moment) none that could even lead to the partialization of the road which, in those parts, is particularly narrow.
Based on the municipal ordinance, a parking ban has been envisaged on the north side, a ban on pedestrian transit always on the sea side half and the movement of the pedestrian crossings near the arch by a few metres.
It will then be the road test that will tell whether the works on the walls will create problems for traffic, especially during the times of entry and exit from the various schools located in those parts or when tourist buses cross the area to also show off the splendid balcony of Christ the King. The design and execution of the works are worth half a million euros.
The works will lead to the elimination of the protective sheets, the cleaning of vegetation and surface dirt and then the whole more technical part will come which will concern the dismantling of any portions at risk, but above all the existing plasters will be consolidated to the wall support, the small cracks will be sealed, and work will be done on the intrados of the vault and also on the precious walkway which can finally become (after having also removed the many antennas anchored in recent years) an attraction of no small importance to discover a view unpublished of the city.
