Don’t expect to cross Ponte Vespucci by bus anytime soon.
Florence’s transportation department announced the temporary ban on buses and other heavy vehicles following a discovery by researchers from the University of Florence that one of the bridge’s piers had become unseated.
The City envisages that the bridge will remain closed to heavy vehicles for about three weeks, during which time tests will be conducted to determine what further steps need to be taken. Numerous city buses will be detoured in the meantime (see the ATAF website for information).
The researchers who uncovered the problem were from the University’s Department of Environmental Engineering, requested by the city to learn more about the Arno’s flow through the city in order to reduce the risk of future flooding and to improve the city’s river management.
