To the Editor:
Re “Italy Collapse Brings Infamy to a Fashion Family” (front page, March 6):
The tragic events of Genoa have rightly brought the privatization of highways under increased scrutiny, and while our priority continues to be assisting people affected by the disaster, we wish to provide context to the views put forward in your article.
Since winning the concession from the Italian government in an open bidding process in 1999, Autostrade has operated its motorway system through more than 12 Italian governments spanning the political spectrum.
Autostrade tolls are well below the Italian average. They are also much lower than the average in Spain, France and Portugal. The European Union Commission verified this last April by saying “the commission considers the proposed remuneration parameters to be within a range of reasonable values.”
We are committed to the Genoa bridge investigation to determine the cause. The investigation’s preliminary findings highlighted many undetected defaults dating to the design and construction of the bridge, a process entirely managed by the Italian state during the 1960s, until it was transferred to the state-owned Autostrade in 1967. Multiple external experts constantly monitored the condition of the bridge and at no point were any serious concerns raised about its stability.
Our focus will continue to be assisting people affected by the disaster and cooperating with the investigations.
Giuliano Mari
Rome
The writer is president of Autostrade per l’Italia (Highways for Italy).
Source: Read Full Article
Home » Analysis & Comment » Opinion | The Genoa Bridge Collapse
Opinion | The Genoa Bridge Collapse
To the Editor:
Re “Italy Collapse Brings Infamy to a Fashion Family” (front page, March 6):
The tragic events of Genoa have rightly brought the privatization of highways under increased scrutiny, and while our priority continues to be assisting people affected by the disaster, we wish to provide context to the views put forward in your article.
Since winning the concession from the Italian government in an open bidding process in 1999, Autostrade has operated its motorway system through more than 12 Italian governments spanning the political spectrum.
Autostrade tolls are well below the Italian average. They are also much lower than the average in Spain, France and Portugal. The European Union Commission verified this last April by saying “the commission considers the proposed remuneration parameters to be within a range of reasonable values.”
We are committed to the Genoa bridge investigation to determine the cause. The investigation’s preliminary findings highlighted many undetected defaults dating to the design and construction of the bridge, a process entirely managed by the Italian state during the 1960s, until it was transferred to the state-owned Autostrade in 1967. Multiple external experts constantly monitored the condition of the bridge and at no point were any serious concerns raised about its stability.
Our focus will continue to be assisting people affected by the disaster and cooperating with the investigations.
Giuliano Mari
Rome
The writer is president of Autostrade per l’Italia (Highways for Italy).
Source: Read Full Article