Modernisation
From the 1980s onwards, Autostrada del Brennero embarked on a major programme to modernise its infrastructure, supported by the presence of public bodies within the company’s shareholding structure. The aim was to make the A22 more efficient, safer and capable of offering increasingly advanced services, keeping pace with the growth in traffic along the Brenner corridor.
Under the 1988–2005 financial plan, numerous projects were carried out to modernise motorway service stations and improve connections with the local road network, thereby enhancing accessibility, traffic flow and the functionality of the entire network. Among the most significant projects were the new Brenner toll station at Vipiteno, opened in 1987, and the new Trento Nord service area, opened in 1988.
In the years that followed, the Company continued to invest in technological innovation, the renewal of infrastructure and road safety. The A22 is now equipped with a network of sensors, cameras and digital detection systems that enable real-time traffic monitoring, accident management and support for maintenance and safety activities, thereby improving traffic efficiency and user assistance.
Of particular significance have been the works to activate the third dynamic lane on the Egna–Verona section, made possible by widening the hard shoulder from 2.50 to 3.50 metres. At the same time, the Company has upgraded the rest areas dedicated to heavy goods vehicles, including Sadobre, Rovereto Sud, Paganella Est and Paganella Ovest, to improve the management of freight traffic and services for hauliers.
This commitment to innovation and sustainability also includes the construction, in 2014 at Bolzano Sud, of Italy’s first system for the production and distribution of green hydrogen. The project is one of the strategic initiatives of the Brenner Green Corridor that aims to develop new production centres and refuelling stations in order to transform the A22 into one of Europe’s leading corridors for sustainable mobility.
