Proposal for the corso Gastaldi cycle path in Vercelli

The City of Vercelli presented residents and shopkeepers a proposal to redevelop corso Gastaldi and part of the surrounding neighbourhood, with a separated cycle path, wider pavements and changes to traffic on nearby streets. The estimated cost of the works is 2.1 million euros, but the project is not final and the regional contribution has not yet been granted ^[1]. According to the account of the public presentation, the works would affect about half a kilometre between piazza Roma and largo Martiri della Libertà. Mayor Roberto Scheda said there are still no final decisions on the layout of the street ^[1].

The proposal for corso Gastaldi

In the design presented by the City, corso Gastaldi would keep one lane for each direction, with cars and buses passing through. Alongside the roadway would run a two-way cycle path 250 metres long and two and a half metres wide, separated from both vehicles and pedestrians ^[1]. The link would reach towards corso Fiume via largo Martiri della Libertà, where flower beds and seating are also proposed. The widening of the pavements and the planting of trees would change how space is divided along the street, without removing the two-way traffic set out in the proposal ^[1].

The side streets and the Ferrari school

The reorganisation would also affect the streets of the neighbourhood. According to the account of the presentation, on some stretches of via Luigi Sereno, via Pietro Micca and via degli Oldoni it is proposed to reverse the direction of traffic and introduce a 30 km/h speed limit, with the stated aim of reducing traffic while keeping access to homes and services ^[1]. On via Cerrone, between via Sereno and via Micca, the stretch in front of two exits of the Ferrari school would become pedestrian-only, with access allowed for residents and emergency vehicles ^[1]. The layout of the side streets is still to be settled: an account of the meeting held on 26 October, before the public presentation, reported that an earlier idea for via Sereno had been dropped, while the later account instead includes that street among those where a change of direction is proposed ^[1].

Trees and environmental estimates

The proposal includes about 200 new trees in the neighbourhood and flower beds designed to collect rainwater and let it soak into the ground. For the current bus stop area along corso Gastaldi a different use is proposed: tree-lined parking on weekdays and space for games, markets or gatherings at weekends. Accounts of the presentation cite a study by Systematica estimating that, under the new layout, cars and vans would cover about 677,000 fewer kilometres a year and fine particulate emissions would fall by about 36 kilograms a year, based on a simulation of morning rush-hour traffic ^[1].

Funding

Of the estimated 2.1 million euros, the City intends to ask the Piedmont Region for 1.8 million through the "Città rigenerative" ("Regenerative Cities") grant scheme ^[1].

Sources

1. Vercelli, corso Gastaldi: proposta ciclabile — Quotidiano Piemontese, 13 November 2026