In recent days there has been much discussion about the demolition of the Viale della Repubblica roundabout in Cosenza, hotly contested by the man who in all respects was its “father”, the former mayor Mario Occhiuto. I would also like to participate in the discussion.
COSENZA, THE ROUNDABOUT IS NO LONGER THERE (https://www.iacchite.blog/cosenza-la-rotatoria-non-ce-piu-ma-il-viale-e-sempre-distrutto-centinaia-di-cosentini-sbertucciano-occhiuto-sul-suo-profilo -social/)
On the road system Occhiuto made a TOTAL DISASTER, net of statistical data, even if of university origin (ah, today’s universities) which when compared with reality make JUST LAUGH. Let’s start from the roundabouts and cycle paths. Financed by EU funds to be carried out in suitable spaces and where they would be really useful, in my opinion intended by the Administrations as a means to collect 100 by spending 30 to create them and allocating 70 to plug other holes or for… different purposes. Useless roundabouts that slow down traffic, lethal for traffic especially if combined with road plans that in my opinion are crazy like the one launched by Mr. Occhiuto Mario who has immobilized the city by depriving it of the only artery that had somehow decongested the chaotic city traffic which can essentially benefit from only two incoming and outgoing roads from the centre.
An avenue that was originally structurally strategic with its car parks and the possibility of quickly traveling around the city, reduced from a very useless cycle path (here too the data clashes with the detectable frequency of use) to a modern yet very sad city path, eliminating hundreds of car parks which allowed those who live far from the center to easily frequent the streets and shops of the Corso and the surrounding streets. Again in my opinion, enormous economic damage, a significant increase in traffic and parking times with a consequent and logical increase in air pollution.
A distorted vision of a happy city with citizen-motorists increasingly stressed by queues and traffic jams, especially at times of access and exit from work and school activities. I respect the good faith of Mr Occhiuto who has focused on a pedestrian and cycle friendly city, with underground car parks probably influenced by Northern European models. But an administrator cannot afford to get the wrong vision by thinking only of those who live in the city center having the full awareness that in Cosenza there are “four cats” left and that the city owes its life to those who live outside the center and who every day move to access it.
A distorted vision, always in my opinion, as in the case of the lucid madness, driven by millionaire interests, which gave birth to the light rail project. Ready to also destroy the Rendese part of Viale Parco to build a useless structure when next to this avenue and along its entire length passes a disused railway line which reaches right under the University shelters and which could lead in the blink of an eye keep an eye on students and workers from the hinterland to the Two Rivers, right in the center, also thinking about a revitalization of the Old City.
We must care about our city and not allow fiber optic laying companies to tear up its streets without a municipal administration demanding the perfect restoration of the pre-intervention state of the places.
What vision did Mr. Occhiuto have, knowing full well the unshakeable nature of his fellow citizens who are reluctant to take a walk, indomitable in practicing the fourth row in front of kindergartens and schools to accompany their little ones by motorized vehicles into the entrance hall of the institutes? Let’s be serious.
Recognizing failures is certainly not a virtue of our politicians but in the face of obvious evidence it would make a better impression to say: “we made a mistake in this sector”.
For goodness sake, not that the current Municipal Administration of Cosenza shines for its activities. Far from it. And it’s there for everyone to see. Just look at the ways in which they are asphalting some streets in the center ready to fill with potholes at the first rains. And it is enough to see how cosmic nothingness has descended on the rest of the problems. “We were the Leopards, the Lions; those who will replace us will be the jackals, the hyenas; and all of us Leopards, jackals and sheep will continue to believe we are the salt of the earth”… (cit.)
Signed letter
