Editing Brenner Pass (section)

==Motorway==
The motorway [[European route E45|E45]] (European designation; in Italy [[Autostrada A22 (Italy)|A22]], in Austria the [[Brenner Autobahn|A13]]), [[Brenner Autobahn|Brenner Autobahn/Autostrada del Brennero]], begins in [[Innsbruck]], runs through the Brenner Pass, [[Bolzano|Bozen/Bolzano]], [[Verona]] and finishes outside [[Modena]]. It is one of the most important routes of north–south connections in Europe.

After the signing of the [[Schengen Agreement]] in 1992 and Austria's subsequent entry into the [[European Union]] in 1995, customs and immigration posts at the Brenner Pass were removed in 1997. However, Austria reinstituted border checks in 2015 as a response to the [[European migrant crisis]]. In April 2016, Austria announced it would build a 370-meter long fence at the Pass but clarify that "it would be used only to "channel" people and was not a barrier.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Scherer|first1=Steve|last2=Pullella|first2=Philip|last3=Jones|first3=Gavin|last4=Roche|first4=Andrew|title=Italy, Austria seek to calm tensions over Brenner border controls|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-brenner-italy-idUSKCN0XP1E8|access-date=2 May 2016|work=Reuters|agency=Reuters|date=28 April 2016|quote=On Wednesday, Austria outlined plans to erect a 370 meter-long fence at the Brenner Pass, which is the busiest route through the Alps for heavy goods vehicles, but Sobotka said on Thursday it would be used only to "channel" people and was not a barrier.|archive-date=26 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126220220/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-brenner-italy-idUSKCN0XP1E8|url-status=live}}</ref>"

The [[Europabrücke]] (''Europe Bridge''), located roughly halfway between [[Innsbruck]] and the Brenner Pass, is a large concrete bridge carrying the six-lane [[Brenner Autobahn]] over the valley of [[Sill River]] (Wipptal).  At a height of {{convert|180|m|abbr=off}} and span of {{convert|820|m|abbr=off}}, the bridge was celebrated as a masterpiece of engineering upon its completion in 1963. It is a site where bungee-jumping from the bridge has become a popular tourist attraction.

The ever-increasing freight and leisure traffic, however, has been causing long [[traffic jam]]s at busy times even without border enforcements. The Brenner Pass is the only major mountain pass within the area; other nearby alternatives are footpaths across higher mountains at an altitude of above {{convert|2000|m|abbr=off}}. As a result, air and [[noise pollution]] have generated heavy debate in regional and European politics. {{As of|2004}}, about 1.8 million trucks crossed the Europa Bridge per year.<ref>[http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=5428539] {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>