Tra densità e allagamenti urbani: la rete ciclebile come progetto di suolo

Pescara is the 13th city in Italy in terms of inhabitants density per km2 (ISTAT). In 2018 it was included, by ENEA, among the coastal areas at risk of urban flooding due to the rise of the Mediterranean Sea. Moreover, to aggravate the situation, along the Abruzzo belt, there is a constant increase in the frequency of urban flooding deriving from extreme atmospheric phenomena. Alongside these two facts, there is a third: Pescara, for the second time in a row, ranks among the highest Italian cycling municipalities (FIAB). Three phenomena perceived as separate which, in reality, are interdependent. A high urban density brings with it a strong reduction of vegetation and an excessive waterproofing of the soil. Therefore, where excess water volumes are created, also due to the insufficiency and, often, the obsolescence of the sewage system, urban floods occur which find their main route along the road network. With negative consequences in terms of the environment (pollution of the river and the sea), economic (threats to infrastructure, cultural heritage, residential and productive fabric) and social (risks to which the population is subjected). The idea is to compare the design actions of some cities (Boston, San Francisco, Copenaghen) that have questioned which are the most appropriate answers to transform water from a potential risk element into a strategic resource for the resilience of urban system also through the cycle network. The goal is to demonstrate that the cycle network is not just a technical issue to ensure adequate performance levels in terms of intermodal integration, safety and efficiency of the tracks, but also an environmental infrastructure that requires a different soil project. If conceptualized in this way it can contribute to countering the phenomenon of urban flooding.