FS Engineering delivers new underpass in Vado Ligure

The new pedestrian and cycle underpass connecting Via Sabazia and Via Maestri del Lavoro d’Italia in Vado Ligure has officially opened to the public. Delivered in tandem with the decommissioning of the Via Sabazia level crossing, the project marks a significant step forward in urban mobility. By removing a key conflict point between road traffic and the rail network, it substantially improves safety across the area.

The underpass project is the first phase of a wider programme to upgrade and increase capacity at the Vado Ligure Industrial Zone rail facility, a site critical to the efficiency of the region's logistics and manufacturing sectors. The new link integrates seamlessly with the Via Tecnomasio road ramp, which entered service in August 2024, to transform local accessibility.

The underpass features a concrete box structure spanning approximately 58 metres. It provides a safe route beneath the railway line and existing roadways, reconnecting two previously severed neighbourhoods. The design prioritises safe, functional active travel for both pedestrians and cyclists. Initially, access will be provided via stairwells, with full completion of the pedestrian and cycle ramps scheduled for October.

Advanced systems and infrastructure safety were major focuses of the engineering design. The underpass is equipped with an automated flood-monitoring system linked to stormwater pumps, warning devices, and access control systems. Resilience is further enhanced by an emergency generator to ensure operational continuity, alongside a smart lighting system controlled by dusk-to-dawn sensors.

By removing the Via Sabazia level crossing, the project significantly drives down risk on both the road and rail networks. Eliminating interfaces between different transport modes ensures smoother traffic flow in a high-density industrial and logistics hub.

FS Engineering played a pivotal role in the project, deploying a multidisciplinary approach that spanned every major delivery phase—from Project Management and Design to Construction Supervision and Health & Safety Coordination. This fully integrated delivery model was essential to managing the scheme's complexity, ensuring seamless stakeholder alignment while meeting strict quality, safety, and sustainability targets.

The successful delivery of this project highlights the company’s proven capability to support complex, strategic infrastructure schemes from concept to completion. Through this expertise, FS Engineering continues to deliver high-performing, safe, and integrated transport networks that serve both the local community and the wider national rail infrastructure.