ARCUS Atlas record
Ponte sul Po SS9 Piacenza
Total collapse of a northern span of the Ponte della Via Emilia (SS9) over the Po river between San Rocco al Porto (Lodi) and Piacenza on 30 April 2009, triggered by the exceptional flooding of the Po during a major rainfall event that raised river levels by over 6 metres. A bridge pillar failed, causing the northern carriageway deck — carrying four vehicles at the moment of collapse — to sink into the river. By a miracle no one was killed; three automobilists were injured. The 1949 reinforced concrete bridge, approximately 1 kilometre long, had been carrying Via Emilia traffic for 60 years and was a key link between Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy. A judicial investigation into culpable collapse charged five ANAS directors; all were acquitted in January 2015 for insufficient evidence. Tesi accolta dal Tribunale di Lodi (2015, imputati assolti): la piena straordinaria del Po provoco' lo spostamento di una pila, con impatto sulle pile di materiale terroso, piccole barche fluviali e pontoni; perse l'appoggio la sella Gerber dell'impalcato metallico. Respinta la tesi della sola carenza manutentiva.
- ARCUS ID
- IT09.04.04
- Date
- 2009-04-30
- Municipality
- Piacenza
- Province
- Piacenza
- Region
- Emilia-Romagna
- Coordinates
- 45.0628, 9.7042 · exact location
- Crossing
- Po river
- Use
- National
- Severity
- TC
- Structural type
- Truss
- Material
- Steel
- Construction year
- 1949
- Cause category
- Natural
- Specific cause
- Hydraulic
- Failure trigger
- Flood
- Failure process
- Overtopping / hydrodynamic action
- Component involved
- Multiple components
- Cause evidence
- Probable
- Source confidence
- High
- Victims
- 0
- Injuries
- 3
Documentary sources (2)
- Crollo ponte sul Po tra San Rocco al Porto e Piacenza: tutti assolti i dirigenti ANAS (News · ANSA · 2015-01-23)
- Bridge collapses in Italy across the 21st century: survey and statistical analysis (Scientific · Journal Paper · 2025-01-01)