Dolomite passes, possible traffic limitations

Via le moto dal Sella is a great route on Piz Ciavazes in the Dolomites, first ascended in 2001 by Edy Boldrin and A. Egger. The name means "motorbikes steer clear of the Sella" and the message is unequivocal. Who for example has climbed up this magnificent rock face and not been disturbed by the roar of the engines as they accelerate up the long straight way down below? And who hasn't sworn at the motorbikes, and cars, while climbing and hiking in what has recently been proclaimed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

What is certainly true is that the traffic problem on the Dolomite mountain passes is nothing new and obviously extremely complex, because it affects both us and Mother Nature, as well as encompassing various regions and economic interests. But what is just as true is that there is an increasing movement to limit, in some form or other, the flow of traffic which in 2009 set a new record: in a single summer day over 5 thousand vehicles drove up the narrow winding road to reach the Sella Pass!

The possible stop to cars in the Dolomites is analised in an interesting article published a few days ago in the Italian mainstream newspaper La Repubblica, and the author Andrea Selva cites the governor of the region of Trentino, Lorenzo Dellai, as well as the SAT, the CAI (Italian Mountaineering Club), the Bolzano Mountaineering Club and also Reinhold Messner as promoters of this initiative. Proposals range from toll roads to the closure of some passes during certain times (in particular Pordoi, Sella, Gardena and Campolongo) and it is Messner himself who suggests "Let’s leave space to the cyclists and hikers, at least during the central daylight hours, from example from 9am to 3pm, so that they can fully enjoy these natural beauties."

If you allow us to share our opinion, we believe that something must be done. We are against tolls (we wouldn't like to see a situation such as that on many Italian beaches were those who cannot afford to pay do not have access to the best areas) and we feel a time limit like the one suggested by Messner to be sensible first step. Above all though we believe in an intelligent increase in public transport. This isn't a mission impossible. For example,. over 15 years ago certain valleys in Austria we accessed by taking (and booking in advance) a minibus. For those  wishing to venture out to Stanage, one of Britain's most popular crags, each summer the town council activates a bus specifically to suit climbers.

We'll be hearing much more of this for a long time yet. And who knows, perhaps one day from the belays high on the Sella we'll see more chamois than bikers...