When highways need upgrading, the usual solution is to expand them by adding more lanes. Taking a different approach focused on sustainability, Arup together with Abertis and A4 Holding developed a strategy to upgrade one of the busiest stretches of the A4 Brescia-Padova highway in the north of Italy. 

Arup delivered a feasibility study for the 146 km stretch, outlining actions to future proof the highway with smart road solutions, reduce time sitting in traffic, and create a positive net impact on biodiversity, while meeting EU’s Green Deal requirements. To ensure the highway upgrade will provide wider benefits to nearby communities, our team of specialists conducted extensive stakeholder engagement from the project’s inception. 

Connecting important business and cultural centres like Turin, Milan, Verona and Venice, Italy’s A4 highway supports the transport of goods across these northern regions, the backbone of the country’s industrial growth. With the upgrade, the highway operator A4 Holding aims to enhance this trade route and create more efficient, safer, and sustainable roadway that creates value for the communities it serves. 

Feasibility study: a roadmap of actions to an efficient upgrade 

To inform the upgrade strategy for the 146 km-long stretch between Brescia and Padova, a team of technical experts including transport, sustainability, digital and asset operations specialists from Arup conducted a feasibility study and analysed different options for the upgrade, linking actions to costs and benefits. 

The study focused on 13 key objectives – including carbon reduction, traffic service, safety, and smart road solutions – and resulted in a roadmap of actions to guide the sustainable evolution of the highway section, aiming to improve commuter service and comply with national codes and EU Green Deal regulations. 

The roadmap proposes smart road solutions like dynamic hard shoulders, AI cameras, weather sensors, as well as C-ITS connected vehicle technology to feature along the stretch. Sections of the highway will include a fourth lane and modern service areas including electric vehicles (EV) charging infrastructure and hydrogen refuelling stations.  

To support the wellbeing of surrounding communities, the roadmap also includes actions to mitigate noise and improve air quality, as well as local upgrade interventions outside the highway, identified through an extensive engagement with local communities. 

For the design development of the highway, Arup’s experts are continuing to work with A4 Holding as a delivery partner, providing Project Management Office (PMO) and technical assurance services. 

We partnered with Arup to align our standards to the best international transport infrastructure practice, developing a comprehensive and consistent approach that can be considered trailblazing in Italy. Arup’s expertise in innovation, stakeholder engagement, and future-proofed roadmaps was key to initiating and addressing the sustainable upgrade of the Brescia-Padova highway. 

Pier Mauro Masoli

Project Director, Autostrada Brescia Verona Vicenza Padova

Sustainability and decarbonisation advisory 

The designed upgrade activities include decarbonisation strategies to reduce operational and energy-related carbon emissions, and the use of a Life Cycle Assessment tool to support construction and maintenance decision making. By adopting low-carbon materials and extending their service life, A4 Holding aims to cut scope 3 GHG emissions and surpass its goal of a 15% reduction, linked to the purchase of goods and services. 

The upgrade envisions the use of photovoltaic energy to power service areas and will include a new medium-high voltage transmission line to support renewable energy distribution and future charging lanes. 

Climate resilience is another priority for the highway upgrade, which is designed to address potential climate hazards. Specifically, the drainage system is set up to be both efficient and sustainable, ensuring stormwater runoff can be collected and reused for natural and agricultural purposes. 

Biodiversity and risk mitigation strategies will seek to preserve natural habitats, for example in the area south of Lake Garda, and revitalise underused areas between the highway and nearby rail tracks to provide recreational spaces for commuters and ecological corridors. 

Arup’s sustainability experts used traditional tools like cost benefits analysis as well as novel solutions like the Natural Capital Assessment to identify both direct and indirect impacts on the natural capital surrounding the highway.  

Our team of experts is also advising A4 Holding towards securing a Platinum Envision sustainability certification, the highest standard for sustainable, resilient, and equitable infrastructure developed by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). 

CGI of upgrade of A4’s highway between Brescia and Padova

The designed upgrade activities include decarbonisation strategies to reduce operational and energy-related carbon emissions.

Digital consulting: early stakeholder engagement and fast data analysis 

To ensure the highway upgrade provides wider benefits to the local community, Arup supported the client and their specialist consultants to define an extensive stakeholder engagement strategy. 

The team used our virtual consultation tool Virtual Engage both before and during the design process to incorporate feedback from institutions, city councils, resident organisations, road operators and concessionaires. During the process of exploring different upgrade options, we provided open access to maps, videos, and design drawings to gather feedback from the communities along the stretch. 

Through our data management system Fuse, we enabled a greater level of coordination, collaboration and control of project data between all teams involved. 

Well-developed roads and highways can significantly impact residents’ standard of living. Have a look at how Arup is reshaping metros, airports and highways for the future to enhance user experience and contribute to creating a low-carbon transport.