Stop everyone: the Giro d’Italia passes. On May 17th, Rimini’s traffic will be disrupted by the transition from the race. Yes, because on the occasion of the 13th stage of the Giro, starting from Riccione (and arriving in Cento), State Road 16 will be closed for three hours. The safety and traffic plan on the day of the Giro was discussed in detail yesterday in the provincial committee for public order and safety coordinated by the prefect Rosa Maria Padovano. The race will start from Riccione at 1pm. After a few minutes the runners will enter Rimini from the D’Annunzio seafront, they will walk along Viale Principe di Piemonte then at the roundabout with Via Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto they will turn left and arrive in Via Losanna and then reach State Road 16 The pink caravan will travel from here across the Adriatic to the large roundabout with Via Emilia, and will then continue on State Road 9 in the direction of Santarcangelo. The roads affected, starting from State Road 16, will be closed to traffic from 10.30 am, and will remain so for approximately three hours, until the race passes. To clarify: the runners should arrive in Santarcangelo around 1.30 pm.
During the three-hour traffic stop, only the crossing of State Road 16 will be guaranteed, from sea to mountain and vice versa, at the roundabout with via Varisco and Rosmini, at the one between via della Fiera and Grotta rossa, and again at the roundabout with via Covignano and the one in front of the former Valentini’ factory (access to the Padulli district). “The two underpasses of Rodriguez and Marecchiese streets will always remain passable – specifies the Municipality”. State road 16 can only be crossed, but not travelled: from 10.30am until the race passes there will be a total traffic ban both in the direction of Riccione and towards Ravenna. For those arriving from San Marino along the Consolare, a lane will be reserved to reach via Montescudo and the underpass of via Rodriguez. However, the roundabouts in front of the Befane and the one between via Coriano and Montescudo will remain completely closed (from 10.30 until the runners pass), and will be prohibited to traffic in all directions. Also from 10.30am until the race passes, the toll booth on the Rimini south motorway, in the direction of Rimini, will be closed. It will be a black mark day on the roads, due to the pink race. Hundreds of law enforcement personnel lined up to guard the streets of the Giro and ensure safety.
Manuel Spadazzi
