Road In Italy
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Roads in Italy are an important mode of
transport in Italy Italy has a well developed transport infrastructure. The Italian rail network is extensive (), especially in the north, and it includes a high-speed rail network that joins the major cities of Italy from Naples through northern cities such a ...
. The classification of the roads of
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
is regulated by the Italian
traffic code Traffic codes are laws that generally include provisions relating to the establishment of authority and enforcement procedures, statement of the rules of the road, and other safety provisions. Administrative regulations for driver licensing, v ...
, both from a technical and administrative point of view. The street nomenclature largely reflects the administrative classification. Italy is one of the countries with the most vehicles per capita, with 690 per 1000 people in 2010. Italy has a total of of paved roads, of which are
motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
s, called ''
autostrade The ''autostrade'' (; : ''autostrada'', ) are roads forming the Italy, Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about , as of 30 July 2022. There are also 13 motorway spur routes, which extend for . Most of the ...
'', with a general speed limit of , which since 2009 was provisioned for extension up to . The speed limit in towns is usually and less commonly . The Strade Statali (
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "state highways") is the Italian national network of
state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...
s. The total length for this network is about . The routes of some nowadays Strade Statali derive from ancient
Roman roads Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
, such as the Strada statale 7 Via Appia, which broadly follows the route of the Roman road of the same name. Strade Regionali (
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "regional road") are a type of
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...
maintained by the
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
they traverse. A regional road is less important than a
state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...
, but more important than Strade Provinciali (
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "provincial road"). A Strada Provinciale is an Italian road that is maintained by
provinces A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...
or metropolitan cities. A Strada Provinciale is less important than a regional road, but more important than
Strada Comunale A strada comunale (Italian for municipal road; "strade comunali"), abbreviated SC, is an Italian road that is maintained by ''comune'', hence the name. They can be roads owned by ''comune'' (inside population centers) or roads managed by the ''c ...
(
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "municipal road"). Strada Comunale is maintained by ''
comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'', hence the Italian name. They can be roads owned by ''comune'' (inside population centers) or roads managed by the ''comune'' (outside population centers). Italy was the first country in the world to build motorways reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only. The ''
Autostrada dei Laghi The Autostrada A8 or Autostrada dei Laghi ('Lakes motorway') is an ''autostrada'' (Italian for 'motorway') long in Italy located in the region of Lombardy connecting Milan to Varese (on the Lake of Varese) and connecting Milan to Gallarate an ...
'' ("Lakes Motorway"), the first built in the world, connecting
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
to
Lake Como Lake Como ( , ) also known as Lario, is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. ...
and
Lake Maggiore Lake Maggiore (, ; ; ; ; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (; ) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and the largest in southern Switzerland. The lake and its shoreline are divided be ...
, and now parts of the Autostrada A8 and Autostrada A9, was devised by
Piero Puricelli Piero Puricelli (born 4 April 1883 in Milan - died 8 May 1951 in Milan), Count of Lomnago, was an Italian engineer and politician in the first half of the 20th century who was responsible for the ideation, in Italy, of the first motorways in the ...
and was inaugurated in 1924. Piero Puricelli, a civil engineer and entrepreneur, received the first authorization to build a public-utility fast road in 1921, and completed the construction (one lane in each direction) between 1924 and 1926. Piero Puricelli decided to cover the expenses by introducing a
toll Toll may refer to: Transportation * Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway ** Toll road, a type of road which for which payment is required for passage ** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use ** Road to ...
.


Background

Ancient
Roman roads Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the
Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
and the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
. They provided efficient means for the overland movement of
armies An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
, officials, civilians, inland carriage of official communications, and trade goods. Roman
road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...
s were of several kinds, ranging from small local roads to broad, long-distance highways built to connect cities, major towns and military bases. These major roads were often stone-paved and metaled, cambered for drainage, and were flanked by footpaths,
bridleways A bridle path, also bridleway, equestrian trail, horse riding path, ride, bridle road, or horse trail, is a trail or a thoroughfare that is used by people riding on horses. Trails originally created for use by horses often now serve a wider ...
and drainage ditches. They were laid along accurately surveyed courses, and some were cut through hills, or conducted over rivers and ravines on bridgework. Sections could be supported over marshy ground on rafted or piled foundations.Bailey, L. H., and Wilhelm Miller. ''Cyclopedia of American Horticulture, Comprising Suggestions for Cultivation of Horticultural Plants, Descriptions of the Species of Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, and Ornamental Plants Sold in the United States and Canada, Together with Geographical and Biographical Sketches''. New York
tc. TC, T.C., Tc, Tc, tc, tC, or .tc may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * Theodore "T.C." Calvin, a character on the TV series '' Magnum, P.I.'' and its reboot * Tom Caron, American television host for New England Sports Netw ...
The Macmillan Co, 1900
Page 320
Corbishley, Mike: "The Roman World", page 50. Warwick Press, 1986. The routes of some nowadays Italian Strade Statali (
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "state highways") derive from ancient
Roman roads Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
, such as the Strada statale 7 Via Appia, which broadly follows the route of the Roman road of the same name. Other examples are the
Strada statale 1 Via Aurelia Strada statale 1 Via Aurelia (SS 1) is an Italian state highway long in Italy located in the regions of Lazio, Tuscany and Liguria. It is one of the most important state highways in Italy and derives from an ancient Roman consular road, the Via ...
(
Via Aurelia The Via Aurelia () is a Roman road in Italy constructed in approximately 241 BC. The project was undertaken by Gaius Aurelius Cotta, who at that time was censor.Hornblower, Simon, & Antony Spawforth. ''The Oxford Classical Dictionary.'' 3rd ...
) and the
Strada statale 4 Via Salaria Strada statale 4 Via Salaria (SS 4) is an Italian state highway long in Italy located in the regions of Lazio and Marche, linking Rome to the Adriatic Sea passing through Rieti and Ascoli Piceno. Its route retraces that of the ancient Via Salar ...
(
Via Salaria The Via Salaria was an ancient Roman road in Italy. It eventually ran from Rome (from Porta Salaria of the Aurelian Walls) to ''Castrum Truentinum'' ( Porto d'Ascoli) on the Adriatic coast, a distance of 242 km. The road also passed throu ...
).


History

Since the reforms following the
birth of the Kingdom of Italy The proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy happened with a normative act of the Savoyard Kingdom of Sardinia — the law 17 March 1861, n. 4761 — with which Victor Emmanuel II assumed for himself and for his successors the title of King of Ital ...
in 1861, the State took charge of the construction and maintenance of a primary network of roads for connections between the main cities; in 1865 the
Lanza Lanza may refer to: means "spear" or "lance" People Surname * Adam Lanza (1992–2012), perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting * Alcides Lanza (1929–2024), Canadian composer * Andrew Lanza (born 1964), New York State senator * ...
law introduced the classification of roads between national, provincial and municipal (see Annex F, art.10. Following the works to extend the road network, the first revision of the list took place in 1884 with Royal Decree no. 2197 In the following decades the State invested significantly in the construction of roads, particularly in the South, but these roads were progressively delegated to the provinces, paradoxically causing a reduction in the extension of the national road network in the face of a strong increase in provincial roads. Furthermore, the road network was considered complementary to the railway network, on which long-distance traffic travelled, to the point that for a long time there was a ban on classifying roads on routes already served by the railway as national. The extension of the road network made it necessary in 1911 to update the list drawn up almost 30 years earlier, formalized with Royal Decree no. 221 which included 84 national roads. The advent of the automobile, which required the availability of fast and well-paved roads, changed the situation, and in the immediate post-war period it was decided to revisit the issue. The royal decree n. 2506 (published in the ''
Gazzetta Ufficiale The ''Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana'' () is the official journal of record of the Italian government. It is published by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome. Function The ''Gazzetta Ufficiale'' promulgates acts ...
'' of 4 December 1923 no. 284) classified the roads into 5 classes. However, the 1923 reform did not resolve the issue of competences, and was in fact not implemented. The growing centralization of power of the
fascist regime Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...
however led to the definitive affirmation of the centralist management model, which culminated in 1928 with the foundation of the Azienda Autonoma Statale della Strada (AASS) (law 17 May 1928, n. 1094, Official Gazette n. 127 of 05/31/1928); it then became
ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
in 1946. Italy was the first country in the world to build motorways reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only. The ''Autostrada dei Laghi'' ("Lakes Motorway"), the first built in the world, connecting
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
to
Lake Como Lake Como ( , ) also known as Lario, is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. ...
and
Lake Maggiore Lake Maggiore (, ; ; ; ; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (; ) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and the largest in southern Switzerland. The lake and its shoreline are divided be ...
, and now parts of the Autostrada A8 and Autostrada A9, was devised by
Piero Puricelli Piero Puricelli (born 4 April 1883 in Milan - died 8 May 1951 in Milan), Count of Lomnago, was an Italian engineer and politician in the first half of the 20th century who was responsible for the ideation, in Italy, of the first motorways in the ...
and was inaugurated in 1924. Piero Puricelli, a civil engineer and entrepreneur, received the first authorization to build a public-utility fast road in 1921, and completed the construction (one lane in each direction) between 1924 and 1926. Piero Puricelli decided to cover the expenses by introducing a
toll Toll may refer to: Transportation * Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway ** Toll road, a type of road which for which payment is required for passage ** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use ** Road to ...
. It was a futuristic project, because there were few cars in circulation in Italy at that time. In 1923 there were a total of 53,000 cars circulating on Italian roads (between 1928 and 1929 there was a significant increase, as they went from 142,000 cars in circulation to 173,000 respectively). In 1927 there were 135,900 cars circulating in Italy, corresponding to one vehicle for every 230 inhabitants, while today the ratio is 1 car for every 1.6 inhabitants. The most motorized
Italian region The regions of Italy () are the first-level administrative divisions of the Italian Republic, constituting its second NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, five of which are autonomous regions with special status. Under the Con ...
s were those of
northern Italy Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...
and
central Italy Central Italy ( or ) is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), a first-level NUTS region with code ITI, and a European Parliament constituency. It has 11,704,312 inhabita ...
, with
Lombardy The Lombardy Region (; ) is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in northern Italy and has a population of about 10 million people, constituting more than one-sixth of Italy's population. Lombardy is ...
at the top of the list with over 38,700 cars in 1923, while at the bottom of the list was
Basilicata Basilicata (, ; ), also known by its ancient name Lucania (, , ), is an administrative region in Southern Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south. It has two coastlines: a 30-kilometr ...
with 502 cars.
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
was the Italian city in which the most car licenses were issued annually (12,000 in 1928), while the Italian region where the fewest licenses were issued was
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...
, with only 632 new licenses. In 1927 the Milan-
Bergamo Bergamo ( , ; ) is a city in the Alps, alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from the alpine lakes Lake Como, Como and Lake Iseo, Iseo and 70 km (43 mi) from Lake Garda, Garda and Lake ...
motorway was opened (part of the current
Autostrada A4 The Autostrada A4, or Autostrada Serenissima (" Serenissima motorway"), is an '' autostrada'' (Italian for "motorway") long in Italy located in the regions of Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia which connects Turin and Trieste ...
) whose concessionary company was owned by Piero Puricelli. In 1929 the
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
-
Pompei Pompei (; ), also known in English as Pompeii ( ) after the name of the ancient city, is a city and in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy. It contains the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. History Modern Po ...
motorway (part of the current Autostrada A3) was inaugurated, while in 1931 the
Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...
-Bergamo motorway (part of the current Autostrada A4) was inaugurated. In 1932 the
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
-Milan motorway (part of the current Autostrada A4) was opened. In 1933 the
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
-Mare motorway (the current Autostrada A11) and the
Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
-
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
motorway (part of the current Autostrada A4) were opened. In 1935, after 3 years of work, the
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
-
Serravalle Scrivia Serravalle Scrivia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about southeast of Alessandria. Serravalle Scrivia borders the following municipalities: Ar ...
(the current Autostrada A7) was opened. However, the first regulatory definition dates back only to 1933 with Royal Decree no. 1740 of 1933 which defined autostrade as roads reserved for motor vehicles only. In 1939, a year before Italy entered into the
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the construction of the Genoa-
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
motorway (the current Autostrada A10) was approved. Legislative decree 17 April 1948, n. 547 defines motorways "as those communication routes reserved for paid transit of motor vehicles, built and operated by the A.N.A.S. or by private individuals, with or without State contributions". In 1955 the
Romita Romita is a Mexican city (and municipality) located in the Southwest region of the state of Guanajuato. The municipality has an area of 442.10 square kilometres (1.46% of the surface of the state) and is bordered to the north by León, to the e ...
law was promulgated which provided that the motorway network must be present in all regions, work began on the Genoa-Savona and the doubling of single carriageway motorways began with financing law no. 1328/1955. The law of 7 February 1961, n. 59 defines motorways "as those communication routes exclusively reserved for the selected transit, usually for a fee, of motor vehicles and motorbikes, without level crossings or in any case unattended, which are recognized as such by decree of the Minister for Public Works". Starting from the mid-1960s, ANAS also began to build a network of dual carriageways which often flanked or completed the routes of the state highways, but did not formally replace them. These roads, initially called in the most disparate ways, were subsequently cataloged under the name of new road ANAS (NSA), also followed by a progressive number. The law of 12 February 1958, n. 126 as amended by law no. 167 of 9 April 1971, classified roads as state (main communication and ordinary), provincial, municipal, local and military. In 1961, by Law 24 July 1961 n. 729, the construction of the Adriatica (
Autostrada A14 The Autostrada A14 or Autostrada Adriatica ("Adriatic motorway") is the second-longest () ''autostrada'' (Italian for "motorway") in Italy located in the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, Molise and Apulia. It is a part of the E45, E5 ...
), Naples-Canosa ( Autostrada A16) and Caserta-Salerno ( Autostrada A30) motorways was approved. The same law provided for the construction of motorway junctions. Also in the 1960s, the first automatic pay stations were introduced for paying tolls only with coins. In 1964, the Autostrada A1 Milan-
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
was completed, the first dual carriageway motorway in the world with sections also in the mountains. In 1973 the first motorway in
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
(the Autostrada A18) was inaugurated. In the 1970s the
Grande Raccordo Anulare Autostrada A90 or Grande Raccordo Anulare () or GRA is a ring-shaped ''autostrada'' (Italian for "motorway") long in Italy located in the region of Lazio that encircles Rome. It is a part of the E80 European route. GRA is one of the most impo ...
was classified as a motorway. In 1975, law 492 was promulgated (in force until the 1990s) which provides for the blocking of motorway construction due to the oil crisis. Until 1992 with the previous Italian traffic code the technical standards in force were those of the CNR 78/80 standard of the C.N.R. Official Bulletin. n. 78 of 28 July 1980. In 2001, as a consequence of the autonomist reforms of the late 1990s, many state highways were handed over to the
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
, and from them to the
provinces A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...
; the State kept for itself only a skeleton of fundamental roads, as well as those leading to the main border posts with other States. From a classification point of view, this has led to an extreme and confusing variety of new acronyms and street numbers, carried out independently by each local authority without a common criterion; consequently, in common usage the roads have often continued to be identified as "former state highway number...". In 1997 work began on the modernization of the
Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...
-
Reggio Calabria Reggio di Calabria (; ), commonly and officially referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the List of cities in Italy, largest city in Calabria as well as the seat of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. As ...
motorway. Completed in 2017, it was then renamed Autostrada A2, to replace the old name which then remained only for the Naples-
Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...
section. In 2001, with the doubling of the Autostrada A6, all motorways in Italy are dual carriageways. In 2009 the
Mestre Mestre () is a borough of the comune of Venice on the mainland opposite the historical island city in the region of Veneto, Italy. Administratively, Mestre forms (together with the nearby Carpenedo) the Municipalità di Mestre-Carpenedo, one ...
bypass was opened (classified as Autostrada A4). Between 2014 and 2015, the Autostrada A35, Autostrada A36,
Autostrada A58 Autostrada A58 or Tangenziale Est Esterna di Milano ("Milan external east ring road") is an ''autostrada'' (Italian for "motorway") long in Italy located in the region of Lombardy. It is the second east ring road of Milan after the Autostrada ...
, Autostrada A59, and
Autostrada A60 Autostrada A60 or Tangenziale di Varese ("Varese ring road") is an ''autostrada'' (Italian for "motorway") long in Italy located in the region of Lombardy and tangent to the suburban area of Varese in the south. It is managed by Autostrada Ped ...
motorways were opened. In March 2022, the 3-lane section of the Autostrada A1 southbound between
Barberino di Mugello Barberino may refer to places in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, Italy: * Barberino di Mugello, a municipality * Barberino Tavarnelle, a municipality ** Barberino Val d'Elsa, a ''frazione'' of Barberino Tavarnelle See also * Barbero (d ...
and
Calenzano Calenzano () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 15,557 and an area of .All demographics and othe ...
was opened, which - although not officially - constitutes the natural continuation of the
Variante di Valico Variante di Valico (number A1 var) is a deviation of the Italian A1 motorway opened to traffic on 23 December 2015, between La Quercia and Aglio in central Italy. The entire project covers a length of 62.5 km, of which 37 km involved ad ...
; in this stretch the Santa Lucia tunnel is crossed which, at , is the longest 3-lane tunnel in Europe. Since 2018, faced with the difficulty of many local authorities in guaranteeing the maintenance of former state highways, a "road return" project was launched which involves the return of almost 7,000 km of roads to ANAS, staggered in two phases. Consequently, these roads have once again assumed the pre-existing state highway numbering already removed in 2001.


Technical classification


Motorways

Italy was the first country in the world to build
motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
s, the so-called ''
autostrade The ''autostrade'' (; : ''autostrada'', ) are roads forming the Italy, Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about , as of 30 July 2022. There are also 13 motorway spur routes, which extend for . Most of the ...
'', reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only. The ''
Autostrada dei Laghi The Autostrada A8 or Autostrada dei Laghi ('Lakes motorway') is an ''autostrada'' (Italian for 'motorway') long in Italy located in the region of Lombardy connecting Milan to Varese (on the Lake of Varese) and connecting Milan to Gallarate an ...
'' ("Lakes Motorway"), the first built in the world, connecting
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
to
Lake Como Lake Como ( , ) also known as Lario, is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. At over deep, it is one of the deepest lakes in Europe. ...
and
Lake Maggiore Lake Maggiore (, ; ; ; ; literally 'greater lake') or Verbano (; ) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy and the largest in southern Switzerland. The lake and its shoreline are divided be ...
, and now parts of the Autostrada A8 and the Autostrada A9, was devised by
Piero Puricelli Piero Puricelli (born 4 April 1883 in Milan - died 8 May 1951 in Milan), Count of Lomnago, was an Italian engineer and politician in the first half of the 20th century who was responsible for the ideation, in Italy, of the first motorways in the ...
and was inaugurated in 1924. Other motorways (or ''autostrade'') built before
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
were
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
-
Pompeii Pompeii ( ; ) was a city in what is now the municipality of Pompei, near Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. Along with Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Villa Boscoreale, many surrounding villas, the city was buried under of volcanic ash and p ...
,
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
-
Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...
,
Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
-
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
,
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
-
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
, Milan-
Bergamo Bergamo ( , ; ) is a city in the Alps, alpine Lombardy region of northern Italy, approximately northeast of Milan, and about from the alpine lakes Lake Como, Como and Lake Iseo, Iseo and 70 km (43 mi) from Lake Garda, Garda and Lake ...
-
Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...
and
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
- Ostia. The total length of the Italian motorway system is about , as of 30 July 2022. To these data are added 13 motorway
spur route A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important road such as a freeway, Interstate Highway, or motorway. A Bypass route, bypass or beltway is not considered a spur route as it typically reconnects with another or the ...
s, which extend for . The density is of motorway for every of Italian territory. In particular, of the Italian motorway network have three lanes per carriageway, km have four lanes per carriageway, have five lanes per carriageway, while the remaining part is two lanes per carriageway. The density is of motorway for every of Italian territory. Italian motorways (or ''autostrade'') are mostly managed by concessionaire companies. From 1 October 2012 the granting body is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and no longer
Anas ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
and the majority ( in 2009) are subject to
toll Toll may refer to: Transportation * Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway ** Toll road, a type of road which for which payment is required for passage ** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use ** Road to ...
payments. On Italian motorways, the
toll Toll may refer to: Transportation * Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway ** Toll road, a type of road which for which payment is required for passage ** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use ** Road to ...
applies to almost all motorways not managed by
Anas ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
. The collection of motorway tolls, from a tariff point of view, is managed mainly in two ways: either through the "closed motorway system" (km travelled) or through the "open motorway system" (flat-rate toll). Italy's motorways (or ''autostrade'') have a standard speed limit of for cars. Limits for other vehicles (or when visibility is poor due to weather) are lower. Legal provisions allow operators to set the limit to on their concessions on a voluntary basis if there are three lanes in each direction and a working SICVE, or Safety Tutor, which is a speed-camera system that measures the average speed over a given distance. In order for a road to be classified as an ''autostrada'', various geometric and construction conditions must be satisfied and these, although very similar in basis (for example the width of the travel lanes must be ) are not constant: there are different technical-legal regulations for motorways built in urban or extra-urban areas. ''Autostrade'' are mostly managed by concessionaire companies. In North and Central Italy, the Autostrade mainly consists of tollways managed by
Autostrade per l'Italia Autostrade per l'Italia S.p.A. (formerly Autostrade S.p.A.) is an Italian joint-stock company specializing in the management of motorway sections under concession and related maintenance activities. Originally established as a state-owned enter ...
, a holding company controlled by
Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A., also known as CDP S.p.A., is a prominent Italian development bank founded on November 20, 1850, in Turin. Its original duty was to finance public works like roads and waterworks during the reign of Victor Emman ...
. Other operators include ASTM, ATP, and
Autostrade Lombarde Autostrade Lombarde is an Italian holding company that owned a majority stake (78.9752%) in ''Società di Progetto Brebemi S.p.A.'', the operator of Autostrada A35 (Brescia–Bergamo–Milan, although the toll road did not go through Bergamo city ...
in the north-west; Autostrada del Brennero,
A4 Holding A4 Holding S.p.A. known as Gruppo A4 Holding (previously as Serenissima Group), is an Italian holding company based in Verona, Veneto region. The company owned ''Autostrada Brescia Verona Vicenza Padova'' (100%), the operator of Brescia–Padua se ...
, , and in the north-east; , SALT, SAT, and Autocisa in the center; and CAS in the south.


Extra-urban roads

In Italy, a dual carriageway is often called ''superstrada'' (meaning ''expressway''), but this name is unofficial. Italian
traffic code Traffic codes are laws that generally include provisions relating to the establishment of authority and enforcement procedures, statement of the rules of the road, and other safety provisions. Administrative regulations for driver licensing, v ...
(''Codice della strada'') divides extra-urban dual carriageways into two different classifications: * ''
strada extraurbana principale The ''strade extraurbane principali'' ("main extra-urban road"; : ''strada extraurbana principale'') or type B road, better known as a "superstrada", are a type of roads of Italy defined within the Italian Highway Code. Characteristics Therefore ...
'' (meaning ''main highway'') or ''type-B road'': a road with separate carriageways, at least two lanes for each direction, paved shoulder on the right and no cross-traffic. This type of road is quite similar to an ''
autostrada The ''autostrade'' (; : ''autostrada'', ) are roads forming the Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about , as of 30 July 2022. There are also 13 motorway spur routes, which extend for . Most of the Itali ...
'' or ''type-A road'' (Italian official name for
motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
s or
freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
s), but its building standards are lower. Access limitations and drive behaviour on type-B roads are the same as the motorways (no pedestrians, bicycles and other slow vehicles), as well as the signage (except for the background color, that is blue instead of green). Speed limits on type-B roads are up to . Type-B roads are always toll-free. * ''strada extraurbana secondaria'' (meaning ''secondary road'') or ''type-C road''. This category contains all the roads in non-urban context that are neither ''autostrada'' (type A) nor ''strada extraurbana principale'' (type B). This means that a dual carriageway that may not be classified as type-B road, since it does not meet such quality standards, belongs to this category. For type-C roads, there are neither special signage nor access restrictions, unless a specific sign is placed. The speed limit is , on both single and dual carriageways.


Urban roads

These are the roads present within inhabited centers. Urban roads are of three types: * ''strada urbana di scorrimento'' (meaning ''urban expressway'') or ''type-D road'': a road in urban context, with separate carriageways, and at least two lanes for each direction. At-level junctions with smaller roads, regulated by traffic lights, are allowed as well as
roundabout A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
s. Unless a prohibition sign is placed, there are not access restrictions. Speed limits on this type of road are up to . * ''strada urbana di quartiere'' (meaning ''urban neighborhood road'') or ''type E road'': single carriageway road with at least two lanes, paved shoulders and sidewalks; for parking there are areas equipped with a special maneuvering lane, outside the roadway; ** ''strada urbana ciclabile'' (meaning ''urban cycle road'') or ''type E-bis road'': urban road with a single carriageway, with paved shoulders and sidewalks, with a speed limit of no more than 30 km/h, defined by specific vertical and horizontal signs, with priority for bicycles. * ''strada locale'' (meaning ''local road'') or ''type F road'': urban or extra-urban road not belonging to the other types of roads; ** ''strada vicinale'': is a privately owned road of local interest located outside the town centre. In Italy the local road is a de facto communication route built to access a series of plots of land, or generally to connect to a road. ** ''itinerario ciclopedonale'' (meaning ''cycle/pedestrian itinerary'') or ''type F-bis road'': local, urban, extra-urban or local road, mainly intended for pedestrian and cycle travel, and characterized by intrinsic safety to protect vulnerable road users.


Administrative classification


State roads

The Strade Statali (; ), abbreviated "SS", is the
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
national network of
state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...
s. The total length for this network is about . The Italian state highway network are maintained by
ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
. From 1928 until 1946 state highways were maintained by Azienda Autonoma Statale della Strada (AASS). The routes of some state highways derive from ancient
Roman roads Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
, such as the Strada statale 7 Via Appia, which broadly follows the route of the Roman road of the same name. State highway classification is an administrative classification. The Italian
traffic code Traffic codes are laws that generally include provisions relating to the establishment of authority and enforcement procedures, statement of the rules of the road, and other safety provisions. Administrative regulations for driver licensing, v ...
defines roads as such that: * they constitute the major routes of national traffic; * they connect the main road network of the State with those of neighboring States; * they connect regional capitals or provincial capitals located in different regions, or constitute direct and important connections between state highways; * they connect sea ports, airports and centers of particular industrial, tourist and climatic importance to the state highway network; * they serve interregional traffic or are of particular interest for the economy of vast areas of the national territory. State highways can be technically defined as main extra-urban roads (type B road) or as secondary extra-urban roads (type C road). State highways that cross towns with a population of at least 10,000 inhabitants are urban roads (type D and E) under the jurisdiction of the relevant ''
comuni A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
''. The state highway that cross towns or villages with a population of less than 10,000 inhabitants are urban roads (type D and E) under the jurisdiction of the ''comune'', subject to authorization from
ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
. The Italian state highway network has approximately of roads identified with the acronym SS. The body that manages these roads, with full state participation, is
ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
(National Autonomous Roads Company), founded in 1946, on the ashes of the old AASS (Autonomous State Roads Company) which in turn was established in 1928. Due to urbanization processes, it has abandoned some sections of state highways, following their acquisition by the interested ''
comuni A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'', who now take care of their maintenance. Notable state highways in Italy are the
Strada statale 1 Via Aurelia Strada statale 1 Via Aurelia (SS 1) is an Italian state highway long in Italy located in the regions of Lazio, Tuscany and Liguria. It is one of the most important state highways in Italy and derives from an ancient Roman consular road, the Via ...
, the
Strada statale 4 Via Salaria Strada statale 4 Via Salaria (SS 4) is an Italian state highway long in Italy located in the regions of Lazio and Marche, linking Rome to the Adriatic Sea passing through Rieti and Ascoli Piceno. Its route retraces that of the ancient Via Salar ...
, the Strada statale 4 dir, Strada statale 7 Via Appia, the
Strada statale 12 dell'Abetone e del Brennero Various Eateries Trading Limited, trading as Strada, is a chain based in the United Kingdom of branded restaurants specialising in Italian cuisine with two Strada sites and six Coppa Clubs, all in Southern England. History The concept was sp ...
, the
Strada statale 18 Tirrena Inferiore The strada statale 18 "Tirrena Inferiore" (SS 18) an State highway (Italy), Italian state highway long in Italy located in the Regions of Italy, regions of Campania, Basilicata and Calabria. It is among the longest and most important state high ...
, the
Strada statale 35 dei Giovi Strada statale 35 dei Giovi is an State highway (Italy), Italian state highway long in Italy located in the Regions of Italy, regions of Liguria, Piedmont and Lombardy, which connects Genoa and the Italian Riviera with Como and the Canton of Tic ...
, the Strada statale 36 del Lago di Como e dello Spluga, the Strada statale 37 del Maloja, the Strada statale 38 dello Stelvio, the
Strada statale 44 del Passo di Giovo Strada statale 44 del Passo di Giovo (SS 44) is an Italian state highway long in Italy located in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol which connects Adige Valley with Isarco Valley passing through Passaria Valley. It originates in ...
, the Strada statale 44 bis Passo del Rombo, the
Strada statale 48 delle Dolomiti Strada statale 48 delle Dolomiti (SS 48), also known as strada regionale 48 delle Dolomiti (SR 48) is an State highway (Italy), Italian state highway long in Italy located in the regions of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Veneto. It is a mo ...
, the
Strada statale 72 di San Marino Strada statale 72 di San Marino (SS 72) is an State highway (Italy), Italian state highway long in Italy located in the Regions of Italy, regions of Emilia-Romagna that connects the province of Rimini and connects the provincial capital with th ...
, the Strada statale 106 Jonica, the Strada statale 115 Sud Occidentale Sicula, the Strada statale 125 Orientale Sarda, the Strada statale 131 Carlo Felice, the Strada statale 131 Diramazione Centrale Nuorese, the Strada statale 148 Pontina, the
Strada statale 163 Amalfitana The strada statale 163 Amalfitana (SS163), also known as Amalfi Drive, is an Italian state highway long in Italy located in the region of Campania which runs along the stretch of the Amalfi Coast between the southern Italian towns of Sorrento ...
, the
Strada statale 336 dell'Aeroporto della Malpensa Strada statale 336 dell'Aeroporto della Malpensa (SS 336) is an Italian state highway long in Italy in the region of Lombardy that connects the Milan-Varese motorway with the Turin-Trieste motorway, skirting the Milan Malpensa Airport. Rout ...
and the Strada statale 407 Basentana.


New road ANAS

Starting from the mid-1960s,
ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
also began to build a network of dual carriageways which often flanked or completed the routes of the state highways, but did not formally replace them. These roads, initially called in the most disparate ways, were subsequently cataloged under the name of ''nuove strade ANAS'' (Italian for "new roads ANAS"), also followed by a progressive number. Over time, many of the new ANAS roads were then reclassified as state highways, either as a new route of an existing state highway, or as a new state highway in its own right with a new number.


Regional roads

A Strada Regionale (
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "regional road"; "strade regionali"), abbreviated SR, is a type of
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...
maintained by the
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
they traverse. A regional road is less important than a
state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...
, but more important than a provincial road. The concept of regional road was introduced for the first time in Italy, limited to the autonomous region of
Aosta Valley The Aosta Valley ( ; ; ; or ), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, is a mountainous Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Fr ...
(where no provincial body exists), with regional law no. 1 of 10 October 1950. The concept was then extended to a national level by legislative decree nº 285 of 30 April 1992 (New Italian Traffic Law) which defines it as: The first roads (excluding Aosta Valley) classified as SR (acronym for ''strada regionale''; "regional road") were created following legislative decree no. 112 of 1998, in 2001. In particular, articles 99 and 101 provided for the transfer of ownership and responsibilities relating to
state highways A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...
not included in the national road network from the State to the regions, which then regulated the matter autonomously. For organizational reasons, many regions have entrusted the former state highways to the
provinces A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...
, while maintaining the acronym SR. In addition to these regional roads created following the downgrading of the state network, there are regional roads immediately classified as such (for example SR 6 in
Apulia Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...
although subsequently downgraded to provincial) or former provincial regional roads such as SR 89, ex SP 62, in
Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
. The regional roads can be technically classified as ''
strade extraurbane principali The ''strade extraurbane principali'' ("main extra-urban road"; : ''strada extraurbana principale'') or type B road, better known as a "superstrada", are a type of roads of Italy defined within the Italian Highway Code. Characteristics Therefor ...
'' (type B road; "main extra-urban roads") or as ''strade extraurbane secondarie'' (type C road; "secondary extra-urban roads"). If they cross inhabited centers with a population greater than 9,999 inhabitants, they are roads under municipal jurisdiction and therefore urban (type D and E). If they pass through centers or inhabited areas with a population of less than 9,999 inhabitants, they are urban (type D and E), but the responsibility remains with the manager. In addition to the roads identified by the acronym SR, there are roads managed by the region but identified by the acronym SP (for example, many SPs in the
province of Belluno The province of Belluno (; ; ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno. It has an area of and a population of about 198,000 people. Geography Situated in the Alps, the province of ...
are managed by the Veneto Strade company with a 30% stake in the region of the same name).


Provincial roads

A
Strada Provinciale A strada provinciale (Italian for provincial road; "strade provinciali"), abbreviated SP, is an Italian road that is maintained by provinces or metropolitan cities. In Veneto from 2002, state highways downgraded as provincial roads are maintain ...
(
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "provincial road"; "strade provinciali"), abbreviated SP, is an Italian road that is maintained by
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
s or metropolitan cities. In
Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
from 2002,
state highways A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...
downgraded as provincial roads are maintained by the regional company Veneto Strade. A provincial road is less important than a regional road, but more important than
municipal roads A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the gov ...
. Before the entry into force of the new Italian
traffic code Traffic codes are laws that generally include provisions relating to the establishment of authority and enforcement procedures, statement of the rules of the road, and other safety provisions. Administrative regulations for driver licensing, v ...
(legislative decree n° 285 of 30 April 1992) the provincial classification of a road had to take place by decree of the
Minister of Public Works This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...
; over the years, this has made the same procedures too centralized and therefore slower and more difficult, until the new Italian traffic code assigned the competence on classification to the
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
(
Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
, however, has further devolved the competences of classification and declassification to the provinces themselves). According to a more extensive description provided by the law No. 126 12 February 1958, provincial roads were roads which: which has become, with the new Italian traffic code:


Municipal roads

A
Strada Comunale A strada comunale (Italian for municipal road; "strade comunali"), abbreviated SC, is an Italian road that is maintained by ''comune'', hence the name. They can be roads owned by ''comune'' (inside population centers) or roads managed by the ''c ...
(
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
for "municipal road"; "strade comunali"), abbreviated SC, is an Italian road that is maintained by ''
comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'', hence the name. They can be roads owned by ''comune'' (inside population centers) or roads managed by the ''comune'' (outside population centers). The category of strade comunali includes extra-urban roads considered to be of municipal importance, all urban roads as well as the urban sections of
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
,
regional In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
or
provincial Provincial may refer to: Government & Administration * Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country * Provincial city (disambiguation) * Provincial minister (disambiguation) * Provincial Secretary, a position in Canad ...
roads, which pass through centers with 10,000 or more inhabitants. The urban sections of state, regional or provincial roads that pass through towns with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants are not municipal. Strade comunali within inhabited centers can be classified from a construction-technical point of view either as urban roads (type D and E) or as local roads (type F). Extra-urban municipal roads (outside inhabited centers) can be technically classified as ''
strade extraurbane principali The ''strade extraurbane principali'' ("main extra-urban road"; : ''strada extraurbana principale'') or type B road, better known as a "superstrada", are a type of roads of Italy defined within the Italian Highway Code. Characteristics Therefor ...
'' (type B; "main extra-urban roads"), ''strade extraurbane secondarie'' (type C; "secondary extra-urban roads"), ''strade urbane di scorrimento'' (type D; "urban traffic roads") or ''strada locale'' (type F; local roads). Assuming that the urban roads within the inhabited centers are all owned by the municipality (with the exception of the internal sections of state, regional or provincial roads that pass through inhabited centers with a population not exceeding 10,000 inhabitants), it is understood that the extra-urban roads outside the inhabited centers are to be considered municipal when: * they connect the capital of the municipality with its hamlets or join the hamlets together; * they connect the capital of the municipality with the railway, tram or car station, with an airport or sea, lake or river port, with interports or intermodal exchange nodes or with the localities that are home to essential services of interest to the municipal community; * they belong to state property (see State Archive of State Property) or if acquired with an act of expropriation of private land (see City Council Resolution). The useful elements to assume that a road is municipal property are: its location within the inhabited centres, its name in the toponymy and consequently in the cadastral maps, its house numbering, presence of lighting and water collection, be constantly maintained by the municipal body.


European classification

Some Italian roads, if they are part of the
International E-road network The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The network is numbered from E1 up and its roads cross national borders. It also reaches Central ...
, are also identified by another alphanumeric abbreviation. This acronym is made up of the letter "E" and one or two digits. The symbol used is a rectangle with a green background with the acronym in white. This classification, which evaluates the importance (being neither a technical nor an administrative classification) of the road in the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
, complements the usual Italian ones. European road acronyms are mostly absent or reported inorganically on signs in Italy. The European classification is foreseen by the Italian traffic code which defines it as additional.


Other classifications

These classifications are not provided for by the Italian
traffic code Traffic codes are laws that generally include provisions relating to the establishment of authority and enforcement procedures, statement of the rules of the road, and other safety provisions. Administrative regulations for driver licensing, v ...
.


Motorway tunnels

Important
Alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...
motorway
tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...
s (; ) are identified by the capital letter "T" followed by a single digit number. Currently there are only three T-classified tunnels:
Mont Blanc Tunnel The Mont Blanc Tunnel (, ) is a highway tunnel between France and Italy, under Mont Blanc in the Alps. It links Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France with Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy, via the French Route Nationale 205 and the Italian Traforo T1 ...
(T1),
Great St Bernard Tunnel The Great St Bernard Tunnel (, , ) is a road tunnel complementing the Great St Bernard Pass, linking Martigny (in the Swiss canton of Valais) with Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses (in the Aosta Valley, in north western Italy). Description There is a ...
(T2) and Frejus Road Tunnel (T4). Tunnels that cross the border between Italy and
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
(T1, T4) or
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
(T2), are treated as motorways (green signage, access control, and so on), although they are not proper motorways. The code T3 was once assigned to the
Bargagli-Ferriere Tunnel The Bargagli-Ferriere Tunnel is a tunnel located on the SP 225 road near Genoa, Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula ...
in
Ligurian Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains ( ; or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; or – a singular with plural meaning; )Latin ''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which would be segmented ''Apenn-inus'', often used with nouns s ...
, opened in 1971. The T3 tunnel connected
Bargagli Bargagli () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about northeast of Genoa in the Val di Lentro. Bargagli borders the following municipalities: Davagna, Genoa, Lumarzo, and Sori ...
with
Ferriere Ferriere (; Piacentino: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Piacenza in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about west of Bologna and about southwest of Piacenza, in the Val Nure of the Ligurian Apennines. Ferriere bor ...
, in the
province of Genoa The province of Genoa () was a province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital was the city of Genoa. It was replaced by Metropolitan City of Genoa. Overview It has an area of and a total population of about 0.9 million (2009). There are ...
, for a length of . It was initially classified as a motorway, but following the decree of 22 July 1989, responsibilities were transferred to
Anas ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
, which included the route in the itinerary of the
state road A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a state or ...
225 of Val Fontanabuona. However, the road maintains all the motorway rules regarding access.


Motorway connections

The acronym RA stands for ''Raccordo autostradale'' (translated as "motorway connection"), a relatively short
spur route A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important road such as a freeway, Interstate Highway, or motorway. A Bypass route, bypass or beltway is not considered a spur route as it typically reconnects with another or the ...
that connects a motorway to a nearby city or tourist resort not directly served by the motorway. These spurs are owned and managed by
Anas ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
. Some spurs are toll-free motorways (type-A), but most are type-B or type-C roads. All RA have separate carriageways with two lanes in each direction. Generally, they do not have an emergency lane. In 1984, by ministerial decree of 20 July 1983, some motorway junctions, already open, forming part of the Italian trunk roads, were defined and classified as such. The legislative decree of 29 October 1999, n. 461, reorganized the road sections classified as motorway junctions, identifying 17 of them. In the following years, the RA7 was classified, in parallel with the name already assumed, in Autostrada A53, maintaining both names in official documents. The RA17, however, in 2013, following modernization works, was completely reclassified as a motorway, changing its name to Autostrada A34. By 2023, 16 Italian road sections were classified with the RA acronym.


Ring roads

In Italy the informal classification of
ring road A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist in reducin ...
s (in Italian ''tangenziale'') refer to a fast road, built in particularly urbanized areas, to allow the transit of vehicles without having to come into direct contact with urban traffic. It can be presented as a classic motorway or expressway, with two or more lanes in each direction, and in some cases an emergency lane. It may be paid, and therefore include toll booths for the collection of the toll, and can have various exits both in correspondence with the main city roads and in connection with the remaining motorway system. It can also appear as a single carriageway road, with only one lane in each direction, with or without at-grade intersections. A ring road can be administratively classified in all sorts of ways. Any access bans on the ring road and speed limits depend on how it is classified according to current regulations. If it is a motorway, the motorway regulations apply and the signs would have a green background; for example pedestrians, bicycles, agricultural machinery, mopeds and animal-drawn vehicles, as well as motorcycles with an engine capacity of less than 150 cc, cannot pass through. The maximum permitted speed limit is , unless otherwise indicated. If it is a ''
strada extraurbana principale The ''strade extraurbane principali'' ("main extra-urban road"; : ''strada extraurbana principale'') or type B road, better known as a "superstrada", are a type of roads of Italy defined within the Italian Highway Code. Characteristics Therefore ...
'' ("main extra-urban road"), the provisions of main extra-urban roads apply and the signs would have a blue background, have the same restrictions on slow vehicles as for motorways, and the maximum speed limit allowed is , unless otherwise indicated. If it is a '' strada extraurbana secondaria'' ("secondary extra-urban road"), the signs would have a blue background and there are no particular transit bans, unless a specific sign is placed at the entrances of the ring road. The speed limit cannot exceed .


Major communication road

In Italy, some roads of national importance are called ''strada di grande comunicazione'' (abbreviated to SGC; "major communication roads"), an expression coined by the
Touring Club Italiano The Touring Club Italiano (TCI) (Italian Touring Club or Touring Club of Italy) is the major Italian national tourist organization. History The Touring Club Ciclistico Italiano (TCCI) was founded on 8 November 1894 by a group of bicyclists to ...
and used in its maps and publications since the 1920s. Law no. 126 of 12 February 1958, as amended by law no. 167 of 9 April 1971, classified state roads either as major trunk roads or as ordinary state roads. For law n. 531 of 12 August 1982 (GU no. 223 of 14/08/1982), the main roads were classified as motorways, Alpine tunnels, motorway junctions, and roads that connect the main road network with the neighboring states, roads that constitute the major routes of national traffic (including Sicily and Sardinia), roads that constitute the main inter-regional connections and roads connecting to the first category ports and the most important airports. The acronym SGC is not used to identify other types of roads (as is the case with the acronyms A, SS, SR, SP) but is used in address documents.


Superstrada

A ''superstrada'' ("super road") is a fast road, often with separate carriageways in each direction, reserved for the circulation of motor vehicles and without at-grade intersections and urban crossings. The colloquial classification of ''superstrada'' refers to all roads classified ''technically'' as main extra-urban roads and, in general, to secondary two-lane extra-urban roads.


Speed limits

Road speed limits in Italy are used to define the maximum legal
speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, express ...
for
road vehicles A motor vehicle, also known as a motorized vehicle, automotive vehicle, automobile, or road vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on rails (such as trains or trams), does not fly (such as airplanes o ...
using public roads in Italy. The speed limit in each location is usually indicated on a nearby
traffic sign Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of or above roads to give instructions or provide information to road users. The earliest signs were simple wooden or stone milestones. Later, signs with directional arms were introduc ...
. Signs show speed limits in
kilometres per hour The kilometre per hour (International System of Units, SI symbol: km/h; non-SI abbreviations: kph, kmph, km/hr) is a Units of measurement, unit of speed, expressing the number of kilometres travelled in one hour. History Although the metre was f ...
(km/h).


Signage

Road signs in Italy A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. The ...
conform to the general pattern of those used in most other European countries, with the notable exception that the background of motorway (''autostrada'') signs is green and those for 'normal' roads is blue. They are regulated by the ''Codice della Strada'' (Italian traffic code) and by the ''Regolamento di Attuazione del Codice della Strada'' (Rules for the Implementation of the Italian traffic code) in conformity with the 1968
Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals The Convention on Road Signs and Signals, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, is a multilateral treaty to standardize the signing system for road traffic (road signs, traffic lights and road markings) in use inte ...
. Italy signed the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals on November 8, 1968, and ratified it on February 7, 1997. Distances and other measurements are displayed in
metric Metric or metrical may refer to: Measuring * Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement * An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement Mathematics ...
units. Warning signs are usually placed 150 metres before the area they're referring to; if they're farther or nearer, an additional sign displays the actual distance in metres. Prohibition signs and mandatory instruction signs, instead, are placed exactly at the beginning of the area of validity.


Colours and shapes

Signs follow the general European conventions concerning the use of shape and colour to indicate function of signs:


Colours of directional road signs

* On motorways, directional signs are green with white lettering. * On main roads, directional signs with more than one destination are blue with white lettering. * Within cities, directional signs with more than one destination are white with black lettering. On main roads and within cities, the colour of a directional sign with a single destination depends on the type of destination: * if the destination is a city that is reached by means of a motorway, the sign is green with white lettering and carries the motorway name as well as the destination * in the other cases when the destination is a city, the sign is blue with white lettering * if the destination is a city district, a hospital or an airport, the sign is white with black lettering * if the destination is a geographical feature or a tourist attraction, the sign is brown with white lettering * if the destination is an industrial area, the sign is black with yellow lettering


Typeface

A version of the Transport typeface employed on road signs in the UK, called Alfabeto Normale, is used on Italian road signs. A condensed version, called Alfabeto Stretto, is also used for long names that wouldn't fit. Each name uses one font, but names in Alfabeto Normale and in Alfabeto Stretto can co-exist on one sign. The font is officially regulated by the 1992 ''Codice della Strada'', article 39 section 125. It defines both Alfabeto Normale and Alfabeto Stretto for uppercase letters, lowercase letters and digits, "positive" (dark on light background) and "negative" (light on dark background). However, there are regulations about the use of Alfabeto Normale dating back to 1969. Uppercase is used in most cases. Lowercase is sometimes used for city districts and tourist attractions.


Language

The standard language is Italian. In some autonomous regions or provinces
bilingual sign A bilingual sign (or, by extension, a multilingual sign) is the representation on a panel (Signage, sign, usually a traffic sign, a safety sign, an informational sign) of texts in more than one language. The use of bilingual signs is usually rese ...
s are used (mainly Italian/German in
South Tyrol South Tyrol ( , ; ; ), officially the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol, is an autonomous administrative division, autonomous provinces of Italy, province in northern Italy. Together with Trentino, South Tyrol forms the autonomo ...
, Italian/French in
Aosta Valley The Aosta Valley ( ; ; ; or ), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, is a mountainous Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Fr ...
and Italian/Slovenian along the
Slovenia Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia, is a country in Central Europe. It borders Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the south and southeast, and a short (46.6 km) coastline within the Adriati ...
n border, but also Italian/Friulan in the
Friuli Friuli (; ; or ; ; ) is a historical region of northeast Italy. The region is marked by its separate regional and ethnic identity predominantly tied to the Friulians, who speak the Friulian language. It comprises the major part of the autono ...
historical region and Italian/Sardinian in
Sardinia Sardinia ( ; ; ) is the Mediterranean islands#By area, second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the Regions of Italy, twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia an ...
).
These are some examples of the Italian sign "Passo carrabile" (''No parking in front of vehicular access to the side properties'') in the bilingual variants: Italian traffic signs - passo carrabile.svg, "Passo carrabile" sign in Italian Italian traffic signs - passo carrabile bilingue francese.svg, "Passo carrabile" sign in Italian and French (used in
Aosta Valley The Aosta Valley ( ; ; ; or ), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, is a mountainous Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Fr ...
) Italian traffic signs - passo carrabile bilingue tedesco.svg, "Passo carrabile" sign in Italian and German (used in
South Tyrol South Tyrol ( , ; ; ), officially the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol, is an autonomous administrative division, autonomous provinces of Italy, province in northern Italy. Together with Trentino, South Tyrol forms the autonomo ...
) Italian traffic signs - passo carrabile bilingue sloveno.svg, "Passo carrabile" sign in Italian and Slovenian (used in some municipalities of
Friuli-Venezia Giulia Friuli-Venezia Giulia () is one of the 20 regions of Italy and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The regional capital is Trieste on the Gulf of Trieste, a bay of the Adriatic Sea. Friuli-Venezia Giulia has an area of and a ...
)


Toll roads

In Italy the only
toll road A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road for which a fee (or ''Toll (fee), toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and ...
s are the ''
autostrade The ''autostrade'' (; : ''autostrada'', ) are roads forming the Italy, Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about , as of 30 July 2022. There are also 13 motorway spur routes, which extend for . Most of the ...
'' (Italian for
motorways A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
). Major exceptions are the beltways around some larger cities (''tangenziali'') which are not part of a thoroughfare motorway, and the section of the A3 motorway between
Salerno Salerno (, ; ; ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Campania, southwestern Italy, and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after Naples. It is located ...
and
Reggio di Calabria Reggio di Calabria (; ), commonly and officially referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the largest city in Calabria as well as the seat of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. As of 2025, it has 168,572 ...
which is operated by the government-owned
ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
. Both are
toll Toll may refer to: Transportation * Toll (fee) a fee charged for the use of a road or waterway ** Toll road, a type of road which for which payment is required for passage ** Road pricing, the modern practice of charging for road use ** Road to ...
free. On Italian motorways, the toll applies to almost all motorways not managed by
Anas ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
. The collection of motorway tolls, from a tariff point of view, is managed mainly in two ways: either through the "closed motorway system" (km travelled) or through the "open motorway system" (flat-rate toll). Given the multiplicity of operators, the toll is only requested when exiting the motorway and not when the motorway operator changes. This system was made possible following article 14 of law 531 of 12 August 1982. From a technical point of view, however, the mixed barrier/free-flow system is active where, at the entrance and exit from the motorways, there are lanes dedicated to the collection of a ticket (on entry) and the delivery of the ticket with simultaneous payment (on exit) and other lanes where, during transit without the need to stop, an electronic toll system present in the vehicles records the data and debits the toll, generally into the bank account previously communicated by the customer, to the manager of his device. In Italy, this occurs through the
Autostrade per l'Italia Autostrade per l'Italia S.p.A. (formerly Autostrade S.p.A.) is an Italian joint-stock company specializing in the management of motorway sections under concession and related maintenance activities. Originally established as a state-owned enter ...
interchange system. The Autostrada A36, Autostrada A59 and
Autostrada A60 Autostrada A60 or Tangenziale di Varese ("Varese ring road") is an ''autostrada'' (Italian for "motorway") long in Italy located in the region of Lombardy and tangent to the suburban area of Varese in the south. It is managed by Autostrada Ped ...
are exclusively free-flow. On these motorways, those who do not have the electronic toll device on board must proceed with the payment by subsequently communicating the data to the motorway manager (by telephone, online or by going to the offices dedicated to payment). The closed motorway system is applied to most Italian motorways. It requires the driver of the vehicle to collect a special ticket at the entrance to the motorway and pay the amount due upon exit. If equipped with an electronic toll system the two procedures are completely automatic and the driver on the detection lanes located at the entrances and exits from the motorways subject to toll payment must only proceed at a maximum speed of without the need to stop. The amount is directly proportional to the distance travelled by the vehicle, the coefficient of its class and a variable coefficient from motorway to motorway, called the kilometre rate. Unlike the closed motorway system, in the open system, the road user does not pay based on the distance travelled. Motorway barriers are arranged along the route (however not at every junction), at which the user pays a fixed sum, depending only on the class of the vehicle. The user can therefore travel along sections of the motorway without paying any toll as the barriers may not be present on the section travelled.


Nomenclature

''A'' stands for ''
autostrada The ''autostrade'' (; : ''autostrada'', ) are roads forming the Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about , as of 30 July 2022. There are also 13 motorway spur routes, which extend for . Most of the Itali ...
'' ("
motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...
"), ''SS'' for '' strada statale'' ("
state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either Route number, numbered or maintained by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered ...
"), ''SR'' for '' strada regionale'' ("
regional In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
road"), ''SP'' for ''
strada provinciale A strada provinciale (Italian for provincial road; "strade provinciali"), abbreviated SP, is an Italian road that is maintained by provinces or metropolitan cities. In Veneto from 2002, state highways downgraded as provincial roads are maintain ...
'' ("
provincial Provincial may refer to: Government & Administration * Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country * Provincial city (disambiguation) * Provincial minister (disambiguation) * Provincial Secretary, a position in Canad ...
road") and ''SC'' for ''
strada comunale A strada comunale (Italian for municipal road; "strade comunali"), abbreviated SC, is an Italian road that is maintained by ''comune'', hence the name. They can be roads owned by ''comune'' (inside population centers) or roads managed by the ''c ...
'' ("
municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the gov ...
road").


Numbering


Motorways

Motorways of Italy, the so-called ''
autostrade The ''autostrade'' (; : ''autostrada'', ) are roads forming the Italy, Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about , as of 30 July 2022. There are also 13 motorway spur routes, which extend for . Most of the ...
'', follow a single numbering, even if managed by different concessionaire companies: they are all marked with the letter "A" ("RA" in the case of motorway junctions, with the exception of the
Bereguardo Bereguardo ( Lombard: ''Balguàrt'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southwest of Milan and about northwest of Pavia. Bereguardo borders the following municipalities: Borgo Sa ...
-
Pavia Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, in Northern Italy, south of Milan on the lower Ticino (river), Ticino near its confluence with the Po (river), Po. It has a population of c. 73,086. The city was a major polit ...
junction numbered on the signs as Autostrada A53, and "T" for the international
Alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...
tunnels) followed by a number. Therefore, a motorway with the same numbering can be managed by different concessionaire companies (for example the Autostrada A23 is managed for a stretch by and for the remaining stretch by Autostrade per l'Italia). In road signs the alphanumeric acronym is enclosed (not in the case of the 16 junctions) in a green octagon with a white acronym. The numbers of motorways and tunnels are assigned with a circular from the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport to be published in the ''
Gazzetta Ufficiale The ''Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana'' () is the official journal of record of the Italian government. It is published by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome. Function The ''Gazzetta Ufficiale'' promulgates acts ...
''.


State highways

Strade statali are identified by a number and a name. In road signs and maps the number is preceded by the acronym SS, an acronym for ''strada statale'' ("state road"). The nomenclature of the state highways managed by
ANAS ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...
generally follows the SS ''n'' scheme, where ''n'' is a number ranging from 1 ( Aurelia) up to 700 (of the
Royal Palace of Caserta The Royal Palace of Caserta ( ; ) is a former royal residence in Caserta, Campania, north of Naples in southern Italy, constructed by the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies as their main residence as Kingdom of Naples, kings of Naples. The complex ...
) depending on the date of establishment of the state highway. Newly built ANAS roads, not yet classified, are identified by the acronym NSA, an acronym for ''nuova strada ANAS'' ("new ANAS road"). In road signs the alphanumeric acronym is enclosed in a blue rectangle with a white acronym.


Regional, provincial and municipal roads

Strade regionali are identified by a number. In road signs and maps the number is preceded by the acronym SR, an acronym for ''strada regionale'' ("
regional In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
road"). In road signs the alphanumeric acronym is enclosed in a blue rectangle with a white acronym. Strade provinciali are identified by a number. In road signs and maps the number is preceded by the acronym SP, an acronym for ''strada provinciale'' ("
provincial Provincial may refer to: Government & Administration * Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country * Provincial city (disambiguation) * Provincial minister (disambiguation) * Provincial Secretary, a position in Canad ...
road"). In road signs the alphanumeric acronym is enclosed in a blue rectangle with a white acronym. The strade comunali within the inhabited centers are named as via, viale, corso, piazza, piazzetta, etc. followed by a name (for example ''via Adige''). The names of municipal roads within inhabited centers are shown on rectangles, standardized by the Italian traffic code, with a white background (except for local specificities, such as the Venetian ''nizioleti''). Extra-urban strade comunali may be identified by a number. In road signs and maps the number is preceded by the acronym SC, an acronym for ''strada comunale'' ("
municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the gov ...
road"). In road signs the alphanumeric acronym is enclosed in a white rectangle with a black acronym. Very rarely extra-urban strade comunali are marked with a number and with the abbreviation SC. File:Strada Regionale 1 Italia.svg, Road marker for regional roads in Italy File:Strada Provinciale 1 Italia.svg, Road marker for provincial roads in Italy File:Italian traffic signs - strada comunale 2.svg, Road marker for extra-urban municipal roads in Italy


Major communication roads

Major communication roads are identified by the acronym SGC, an acronym for ''strada di grande comunicazione''. In road signs the acronym is enclosed in a blue rectangle with a white acronym. File:Strada di Grande Comunicazione, Italia.svg, Road marker for major communication roads


New road ANAS

New roads ANAS are identified by a number. In road signs and maps the number is preceded by the acronym NSA, an acronym for ''nuove strade ANAS''. In road signs the alphanumeric acronym is enclosed in a blue rectangle with a white acronym. File:Nuova Strada Statale 2 Italia.svg, Road marker for new roads ANAS


Location markers

The
highway location marker A highway location marker is the modern-day equivalent of a milestone. Unlike traditional milestones, however, which (as their name suggests) were originally carved from stone and sited at one-mile intervals, modern highway location markers are ...
s in Italy are part of the category of distance signs,Regolamento di attuazione del Codice della Strada, art. 129, comma 2 . subcategory of indication signs, and are of two types, those that indicate the distance in
kilometers The kilometre ( SI symbol: km; or ), spelt kilometer in American and Philippine English, is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one thousand metres (kilo- being the SI prefix for ). It is the preferred measu ...
and those that indicate the distance in
hectometer The hectometre, ( SI symbol: hm), spelt hectometer in American and Philippine English, is a unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), equal to one hundred metres and to one tenth of a kilometre. The word comes from a combination ...
s (100-metre intervals). In Italy, until before 1959, the function of mileage signals was performed by
milestone A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...
s. In the Consolidated Law Regulation of 1959, figure 103b mentions the use of the motorway confirmation sign, consisting of a white box on the left with the distance from the point of origin of the road and a blue rectangle with white characters in which the name of the next exit is shown with the relative distance in kilometers. In the circular of the
Ministry of Public Works This list indicates government departments in various countries dedicated to public works or infrastructure. See also * Public works * Ministry or Board of Public Works, the imperial Chinese ministry overseeing public projects from the Tang ...
n. 9540/1969 "Motorway signs", signs with a similar function have been adopted to be installed on the traffic island. In Italy the highway location marker is a square white sign with the current kilometer (of hectometer) of the road written on it. This sign is accompanied by the sign that identifies the road if it indicates the kilometers (or hectometers) of a state, regional, provincial or extra-urban municipal road. If the sign indicates kilometers of a motorway the sign is accompanied by a green sign (positioned to the right or below the main sign) indicating the next exit with the distance remaining if the kilometer ends in 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 or 9, the next service area with the remaining distance if the kilometer ends with 2, 5 and 8 or the highway with the remaining distance if the kilometer ends with 0. To mark the distance from the starting point of a road, progressive hectometric signs are also used. These signs are placed every and carry a two-line indication, such as . The sign indicates in the lower part the kilometer of the last kilometer progressivity sign (if you travel the road from the starting point) or of the next one (if you travel the road from the end point) and indicates in the upper part the hectometers in Roman numerals the distance to the last sign (if you drive the road from the starting point) or the remaining distance to the next sign (if you drive the road from the ending point). These signs are positioned on all types of extra-urban roads whose length is such as to make their use appropriate.


See also

*
Transport in Italy Italy has a well developed transport infrastructure. The Italian rail network is extensive (), especially in the north, and it includes a high-speed rail network that joins the major cities of Italy from Naples through northern cities such a ...


Italian roads

*
Autostrade of Italy The ''autostrade'' (; : ''autostrada'', ) are roads forming the Italian national system of motorways. The total length of the system is about , as of 30 July 2022. There are also 13 motorway spur routes, which extend for . Most of the Ital ...
*
State highways (Italy) The Strade Statali (; ), abbreviated SS, are the Italian national network of state highways. The total length of the network is about . The Italian state highway network is maintained by ANAS. From 1928 until 1946, state highways were maintain ...
*
Regional road (Italy) A strada regionale (Italian language, Italian for regional road; "strade regionali"), abbreviated SR, is a type of Roads in Italy, Italian road maintained by the regions of Italy, regions they traverse. In the administrative hierarchy, a regiona ...
*
Provincial road (Italy) A strada provinciale (Italian for provincial road; "strade provinciali"), abbreviated SP, is an Italian road that is maintained by provinces or metropolitan cities. In Veneto from 2002, state highways downgraded as provincial roads are maintain ...
*
Municipal road (Italy) A strada comunale (Italian for municipal road; "strade comunali"), abbreviated SC, is an Italian road that is maintained by ''comune'', hence the name. They can be roads owned by ''comune'' (inside population centers) or roads managed by the '' ...


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roads in Italy