From “the most important work since the post-war period”, as the then councilor for public works of the Cesaroni council, Giancarlo Righini, had defined it at the time, ad “a real receptacle of waste”as summarized by one of our readers, in the face of the collapse of her condition and the carelessness of those who were called to protect her.
After years of progressive disintegration, between carelessness and vandalism, the fateful light outside the tunnel for the Velletri Exchange Node, and it is also worth saying the same for the tunnel that connects the car park with the area above, often mistaken for a urinal or as a “graffiti” wall. Thanks to the will of new Junta led by Mayor Cascella and the resourcefulness of the councilor in charge, Luca Quattrocchi, who has put the. since the beginning of his mandate “Redevelopment of the Exchange Junction in Martyrs Square of Hungary” among the primary objectives of his delegations.
And after several interim meetings the die has finally been cast and the many commuters who use the Veliterna station will soon see the results. They will leave Indeed by the end of June the longed for redevelopment works edited by Cotralwhich has implemented the indications of the municipal administration which, after a series of telephone calls and meetings, is about to “bring home” a result of considerable importance, which, to put it in the words of theCouncilor Quattrocchiapproached by us for clarification on the project, «it will change the face of the Exchange Node and make it more decent, safe and functional, with particular attention to the disabled and also to the staff, who will be able to have their own offices”.
Redevelopment of the Exchange Junction in Martyrs Square of Hungary
The Municipality of Velletri, for the layman, it is owner of the Bus Station Terminal called “Exchange Node” site in Martyrs of Hungary Square. Over time, the building has been the subject of continuous acts of vandalism which in a short time have degraded the structure, ending up at the mercy of continuous acts of vandalism and making it less safe for the commuters who frequent it.
Following pressure from the municipal administration, and repeated complaints from users and traveling staff, regarding the state of abandonment, which made the building of little use to local public transport, Cotral therefore made itself available to carry out the redevelopment of the property, consistent with the institutional purposes of the owner body (the Municipality of Velletri) and the Regional Transport Company. A property that has a strong public interest, as the building is used daily and crossed by numerous citizens, who frequent it to access the adjacent train station.
A turnstile and a video intercom for the tunnel
«We will start with the redevelopment of the tunnel – highlights thecouncilor Luca Quattrocchi -, which is approximately 45 meters long: it will be repainted and all the lamps will be replaced; the tactile path will be replaced for a length of approximately 60 meters and a tactile map will have to be installed near the stairs, creating a new flooring over the current one».
Right at the entrance of the tunnel, for those coming from the car park below, «a will be installed turnstile full height with access also for disabled people”. The network and data cabling will be arranged for 2 access validators which will subsequently be supplied and installed by the client. The pre-existing sliding gate, which guarantees the current night-time security, will instead be cleaned and refunctionalized, with a motorized sliding door. The same preparation must be carried out for the MEB (Ticket Vending Machine) and for the 42″ screens.
“At the same time – clarifies Councilor Quattrocchi – a video intercom system will also be installed, connected to the Cotral room used by the terminus attendant».
Cotral personnel office
Just thePersonal office, located on the upper floor, and bordering the newsstand, will be one of the new features coming soon. The desire of the municipal administration to revitalize the Exchange Hub has in fact also passed through the creation within the structure of activities suited to the purpose of the building, such as to guarantee a constant presence of staff, also functional to discourage acts of vandalism.
The works will be achieved thanks to the synergy between the department of mobility, parking, transport and urban safety (these are just some of the delegations held by councilor Quattrocchi) and the company Cotral SpA, which has use of the square in front of the property used as a bus terminus station.
The redevelopment of the Terminal
The Terminal, as stated in the redevelopment project, is an imposing wood and glass building on two levels, serving which there is an unattended car park for station users, connected to the building with an underpass. Outside, in the square in front, they persist 2 platforms for Cotral departures of approximately 25 metres, covered by shelters equipped with night lighting, to protect users and a third shelter at the exit of the underpass which guarantees access to the station’s car park.
The Terminal is accessed from the main square via a single entrance/exit served by a large sidewalk which also serves as an arrivals platform, protected by a shelter equipped with night lighting. The new features coming soon are notable also on this side: «In addition to cleaning the sidewalk and the shelter structure – highlights Quattrocchi – the installation of info-mobility poles with high visibility displays will be planned, in order to better communicate the information to users. The ground floor, composed of 7 bays in a laminated wood structure, the first of which, starting from the right, is currently occupied by a newsstand, will be enriched by the creation of two areas to be dedicated to Cotral stafffor a total of approximately 30 square metres, which will consist of a room for drivers and controllers and an office for the terminus attendant”.
During operating hours the structure will therefore be manned by staff who will stay inside the new premises. Everything will be enriched by the installation of a Surveillance system, for visual continuity and total safety of the entire node. To access the Cotral premises there will be 2 entrances: the main one, with passage from outside the terminal, whose access will be guaranteed by access control and another from the inside which will be used as a service/emergency entrance and will always remain closed. They will be restore the 3 ribbon windowswhich will have sliding openings, to protect which grates will be installed.
To facilitate communication with users, given that the offices will not be open to the public, a small glass opening will be set up next to the Cotral entrance to provide information to users; inside the premises a video intercom will be connected in communication with access to the underpass.
Cleaning, redevelopment and a new elevator
Redevelopment and restoration of decoration will go hand in hand, given that the entire wooden part of the terminal will be cleaned and adequately treated, with the cleaning of the windows and some replacements, where necessary. We will also proceed with the resurfacing of the flooring and, as anticipated, with the creation of a route for the visually impaired, with tactile maps, which will start from the external pavement and continue inside the building, until reaching the lift. Just theelevator it will be one of the main innovations, given that it will be restored and made functional again. At the same time, works will be carried out to make the stairs safe (with the replacement of some steps and parapets) and the internal and external benches will be replaced, with subsequent repainting of the walls.
The satisfaction of Councilor Luca Quattrocchi
The long-awaited redevelopment works will therefore begin this month Exchange Node in Martyrs of Hungary Square in Velletri. The project, curated by Cotral, is the result of the indications of the municipal administration, which through a series of phone calls and meetings has finally obtained a result of considerable importance. The councilor for mobility and transport of the Municipality of Velletri, Luca Quattrocchiexpressed great satisfaction with the imminent start of the works, declaring that the project «it will change the face of the Exchange Node and make it more decent, safe and functional.”
Quattrocchi underlined the importance of this intervention for the citizens and for the staff working in the area. «Particular attention to disabled people and to staff, who will have their own offices, is a fundamental element of this redevelopment»explained the councilor, highlighting how the project responds to the needs of inclusiveness and improvement of working conditions.
Furthermore, Quattrocchi wanted to thank the Mayor on his own behalf and that of the entire municipal administration, for the trust placed and for the crucial role that both had in the negotiations with Cotral. «This is a redevelopment project that we were particularly keen on”said the Mayor Ascanio Cascella, what was said «satisfied and confident that at the end of the works it will be possible to return to citizens a crucial work for mobility, which deserves greater care and attention from everyone, so that it is functional and safe».
Councilor Quattrocchi, in turn, concluded by also expressing gratitude towards Cotral, the company that manages regional public transport in Lazio, for having accepted the indications of the municipal administration and having actively collaborated in the realization of the project. «This is an example of how synergy between public bodies can lead to concrete and significant results for the community”he has declared Luca Quattrocchi, inviting citizens to look with confidence to the future of the Exchange Hub, a focal point in the Veliterni transport system, and to respect and care for it, without failing to thank the Mayor, who “it actively contributed to achieving the primary aim, which was to restore safety and decorum to the entire area”.
Security, video surveillance cameras at the Exchange Junction and Demenego Park in Velletri
Velletri – The Exchange Node as a ‘pig’
