The metropolitan city of Florence installs the intelligent bridge monitoring system developed by startup Displaid

An intelligent sensor system with continuous data analysis has been activated on five bridges in the road network managed by the Metropolitan City to support infrastructure management Florence, 22 April 2026 — The Metropolitan City of Florence has adopted an intelligent monitoring system equipped with wireless sensors on five strategic infrastructures within its road network. The monitoring system was developed and delivered by Milan-based startup Displaid, specialising in the monitoring of bridges and viaducts. The project is among the first cases at national level in which a Metropolitan City introduces a network-scale monitoring model, with the aim of improving the management of its infrastructure. Following the award of a three-year contract for the monitoring of the five bridges, Displaid S.r.l. installed 118 sensors in just four working days, without full road closures and ensuring continuity of traffic throughout all operations. <This is a network-based approach to the structural monitoring of infrastructure, reflecting an advanced and integrated management vision — both in terms of the expected outcomes and the innovative value of the initiative>, said Emma Donnini, Councillor of the Metropolitan City of Florence with responsibility for road infrastructure in the Empolese-Valdelsa area. She added: <Among the bridges being monitored, the Montelupo-Capraia bridge along the SP 106 is of particular significance. Final checks are currently being completed on the executive design for its structural upgrading, which the Metropolitan City is about to approve. While awaiting the resources needed to carry out the works — estimated at approximately €7 million, with contract award scheduled for 2027 — continuous monitoring of the structure has been activated to ensure safety and enable timely intervention in the event of any anomalies. In the meantime, it is hoped that Anas will complete the construction of the new bridge over the Arno near Fibbiana, so that disruption to residents during works on the Montelupo-Capraia bridge — which will inevitably require a period of traffic suspension to allow for the demolition and reconstruction of the deck — can be kept to a minimum. During that period, the new Anas bridge will provide an alternative connection between Capraia and Montelupo for both private vehicles and public transport buses>. <The vision of the Metropolitan City of Florence is a concrete example of how data can transform the management of public infrastructure>, said Lorenzo Benedetti, CEO of Displaid. <It is an approach that stands out for its level of maturity, introducing a continuous, data-driven model of observation and prevention rather than purely reactive interventions. We are proud to contribute to a journey that could serve as a reference for other public administrations.> The Displaid system enables an innovative, condition-based approach grounded in objective and up-to-date data, monitoring structural displacements and vibrations. The data is analysed through proprietary algorithms to identify potential critical issues and support timely interventions. The installation, completed in recent weeks, marks the beginning of a data-driven maintenance process, with the long-term objective of increasing safety and efficiency in infrastructure management. The bridges involved are: the bridge along the SP 80 over the Baccaiano stream at Baccaiano in the Municipality of Montespertoli; the Calamandrei bridge along the SP 128 over the Arno river, between the Municipalities of Empoli and Vinci; the bridge along the SP 106 over the Arno river at Montelupo-Capraia, between the Municipalities of Montelupo Fiorentino and Capraia e Limite; the Ponte alla Motta along the SP 11 over the Arno river at Marcignana-Bassa, between the Municipalities of Empoli and Cerreto Guidi; and the bridge along the SP 76 over the Egola stream at Alberi in the Municipality of Montaione.