On August 14, 2018, the Morandi motorway bridge – named after the engineer who designed it – gave way during heavy rainfall.
Dozens of cars and several trucks fell onto railway tracks below.
A total of 43 people were killed in the disaster and hundreds more were injured.
Some of the pylons remained standing for almost a year until they were destroyed by controlled dynamite in June 2019, to make way for a new bridge.
The new structure was built in record time, with the help of 1000 workers.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte gave a speech and cut a ribbon before jets trailing the colours of the Italian flag roared overhead as the national anthem played.
President Sergio Mattarella was the first to officially cross the new bridge, designed by famed Italian architect Renzo Piano, who gave it a sail-like structure in tribute to Genoa’s rich maritime history.
The names of the victims were read aloud, though many of their loved ones were not present, saying they didn’t want the elaborate ceremony to overshadow the lives lost in the tragedy.
The Morandi bridge was hailed a marvel of engineering when it opened in 1967, but an investigation into the disaster found it was neglected.
The bridge had been riddled with structural problems for decades, leading to expensive maintenance, and its collapse threw the spotlight on Italy’s creaking infrastructure.
Autostrade, which runs almost half of Italy’s motorway network, has been accused of failing to maintain it properly, amid allegations of falsified safety reports and in-house pressure to slash maintenance costs.
Atlantia, the parent group of Autostrade, is controlled by the wealthy Benetton family, which finally bowed to pressure last month to relinquish control of its besmirched toll-road operator, which will be nationalised.
Autostrade is under investigation, along with several transport ministry officials, for culpable homicide.
The preliminary probe is due to wind up in October, before a trial begins early next year.
The new high-tech structure will have four maintenance robots running along its length to spot weathering or erosion, as well as a special dehumidification system to limit corrosion.
It is expected to open to traffic on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Families of the victims will meet on August 14, to mark the second anniversary of the tragedy.