Leonardo signs deal to help monitor Italian bridges and viaducts

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's defence and aerospace company Leonardo said on Thursday it signed a deal to provide technology that will monitor the state of the country's road infrastructure in more than 7,100 municipalities.

The condition of Italy's roads, tunnels and bridges has been a concern since the 2018 collapse of a highway bridge in the north-western city of Genoa, which caused 43 deaths.

In a statement, Leonardo said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) and Rete Mille Infrastrutture, a consortium of businesses and research centres.

The company said the agreement would help municipalities "to classify and manage risk relating to the environment and the state of cultural property," using new technology.

No financial details were disclosed.

(Reporting by Francesca Piscioneri, editing by Alvise Armellini and Barbara Lewis)