Piazza Pia: Opening of the Underpass Transforms Vatican City access

The much-anticipated inauguration of the pedestrian-friendly Piazza Pia is set to bring significant changes to traffic patterns in the area. Here’s how mobility in the district will be reshaped:

A Direct Link to Piazza del Risorgimento

With the completion of Piazza del Risorgimento’s renovation, another key Jubilee project, traffic flow on Via delle Fosse di Castello is being reversed. This street, adjacent to the Lumsa University, will now allow vehicles to travel from Piazza del Risorgimento, via Via Porcari, to Via Giovanni Vitelleschi.

From there, with the inauguration scheduled for the late morning of December 23, vehicles can continue along Via delle Fosse di Castello and enter the new underpass.

Enhanced Access to Local Hospitals

New routes are being introduced to improve access to nearby hospitals, including Bambino Gesù and Santo Spirito:

1. Drivers heading to these hospitals can use Via di Borgo Sant’Angelo.
2. From there, they can turn left onto Via della Trasportina, which will temporarily permit vehicles to travel against the usual bus-only lane direction.
3. After crossing Via della Conciliazione, drivers can continue along Via San Pio X and Lungotevere. Santo Spirito Hospital is located along this route, with a nearby turnoff leading to the Bambino Gesù pediatric hospital.

The New Pedestrian Plaza

Above ground, in the shadow of Castel Sant’Angelo, Piazza Pia will be entirely dedicated to pedestrians. Thanks to the new underpass—an infrastructure project originally planned for the Jubilee of 2000 but realized only now—pedestrians will enjoy a traffic-free space in the heart of the city.

This transformation ensures that Piazza Pia becomes a serene urban area for walking and gathering, no longer shared with vehicular traffic.