Italy And France Will Discuss Mont Blanc Tunnel Double

Italy encounters serious traffic problems associated with Alpine passes. The situation should stabilize over the weekend when trucks can return to using Frejus, which is currently closed to big rig trucks following a landslide on the French side at the end of August, but the problems have long been chronic.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani spoke about this yesterday (September 6) during questioning at the Chamber of Deputies, also explaining that Italy will return to discuss the second tube of the Mont Blanc tunnel with France – a structure that Paris has always opposed for environmental reasons, but which, given current problems, may become relevant again. “The government considers it absolutely necessary to begin work on the creation of a second tube of the Mont Blanc tunnel,” explained Tajani, confirming the upcoming meeting with his French counterpart.

To achieve this goal, according to the Italian political, economic, and financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, 5 years and an investment of about 1.2 billion euros will be enough, a figure that can be financed with private capital.

Meanwhile, work on the reconstruction of the Mont Blanc tunnel (that will last 3 months a year and take 18 years, with an estimated 10% loss of GDP for the Aosta Valley, caused by the temporary closure of traffic) has been postponed. But there is good news: the Frejus double will actually be ready in 2024 – a new tunnel 13 kilometers long and eight meters wide will separate the two directions of traffic, allowing more vehicles to pass through and improving safety. Currently, about 7% of traffic crossing the Alps passes through Frejus.