Salerno and Amalfi Coast face urban planning and infrastructure debates

Urban planning and infrastructure debates are intensifying in the Salerno and Amalfi Coast regions of Italy. In Salerno, recent statements by Vincenzo De Luca regarding a halt to new cement construction have been characterized by critics, including former urban planning assessor Aniello Martino, as a significant policy reversal. Martino noted that while the city faces depopulation, it remains burdened by previous decades of private cement expansion and a lack of maintenance.

The debate extends to the Amalfi Coast, where concerns persist regarding large-scale road infrastructure projects, such as tunnels between Amalfi, Maiori, and Minori, which critics argue ignore the fragility of the local landscape and the demographic challenges of the area.

Simultaneously, local authorities in Salerno are facing pressure regarding the upcoming closure of the Belvedere tunnel on September 14. City council members have requested a temporary suspension of the Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) in Corso Vittorio Emanuele to mitigate traffic disruptions, particularly as the closure coincides with the start of the school year. Mayor Fabio Termine has indicated the administration will evaluate interventions based on the actual traffic situation following the closure.