A dangerous situation that has been known for years, reported several times and never actually addressed. It concerns the short stretch – about 50 meters – of State Road 114 which connects the “Alfio Ragazzi” roundabout in Tremestieri to the rest of the city, towards the centre. A stretch of road without pedestrian crossings, sidewalks or protected paths, along which dozens of workers are forced to walk directly on the road every day.
The critical issue emerged again after the accident that occurred in the last few hours. A citizen of Messina, an employee of a company based in Catania, who walks that stretch every day after getting off the bus, was hit by a passing electric scooter. The man was rescued and transferred by ambulance to the University Hospital: he suffered a severe bruise and a seven-day prognosis. The worker explained the dynamics of the incident, underlining how “at that point there is no pedestrian crossing and we are forced to walk in the lane together with trucks, buses and cars”. The poor evening lighting also contributes to making the situation even more risky.
“We have been living with this condition for years – he said –. I was lucky, but sooner or later a tragedy could occur. That stretch literally cuts the pedestrian traffic in the southern area in two.”
The report draws attention to a critical issue that involves not only commuters arriving in Tremestieri by public transport, but also many citizens who use the ATM stop or park in the areas surrounding the Carabinieri station.