The bridge was inspected following the deaths of 43 people when an earthquake brought down the Morandi bridge in Genoa in August.
ADVERTISEMENTA major bridge connecting Italy's Abruzzi and Molise regions has been closed indefinitely by the authorities in Isernia province after it failed safety checks.
Its main 185 metre pylon needs to be secured and gaps have appeared between some of the concrete segments on the top of the bridge.
The checks were carried out after the Morandi bridge collapsed in Genoa in August, killing 43 people.
That tragedy revealed the poor state of some of Italy's transport infrastructure and safety checks have now been stepped up across the country.
An old state road has been re-opened meaning that traffic now has to descend to the valley floor and climb back up the other side adding eight kilometres to the crossing of the river Sente.
But it's not open to heavy vehicles which includes trucks, coaches and school buses.