The Milan Outer Eastern Bypass cuts through some superb natural areas and to ensure this high quality road system does not damage the landscape and territory, numerous environmental projects have been put in place. The TEEM environmental project consists of work to directly mitigate the impact of the motorway, including innovative sound-absorbing barriers, noise-abating embankments and large-scale planting to augment existing vegetation. These direct efforts were a key element for local entities and part of the Framework Agreement backed by the Lombardy Regional Administration, focusing not only on the main motorway, but also the related secondary road infrastructure to help sustain the local environment and ensure continuity of natural resources in the farming areas touched by the road.

This was the rationale behind two Memorandums of Understanding signed by Tangenziale Esterna SpA and two land reclamation authorities (Consorzio di Bonifica Est Ticino Villoresi and Consorzio di Bonifica Muzza Bassa Lodigiana). On the back of these MoUs, the company has worked to ensure the irrigation and drainage network continues to function properly, include 120 interventions involving the water system.  Moreover, the environmental project includes an array of compensation work requested by and agreed on with local entities. It was this that led to the various “Special Environmental Projects” that cover multiple actions from planting 1,000 oak trees along the motorway to restoring the Oratory of San Biagio (a religious building with clear influences from the Renaissance architect Bramante) and building over 30 km of cycle paths.

The TEEM executive project went through all the environmental stages required by regional, Italian and European law and, right from the outset, it was built around the environmental impact study that was initially completed in 2003 and then updated in light of the new provisions issued by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Programming (CIPE).  Moreover, following the signing of a specific agreement, the regional environmental protection agency (ARPA Lombardia) monitored the development of the project and will continue to check all laws, regulations and rules are complied with during the actual construction stage.