Autostrada A1 (Italy)


The Autostrada A1 or Autostrada del Sole is the longest autostrada in Italy, linking some of the largest cities of the country: Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, and Naples. The Autostrada A1 is located in the regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, and Campania. It is a part of the E35 and E45 European routes.

History

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, successive administrations wanted this major infrastructure project to be completed as quickly as possible, as it would be a great boost for the national economy. Construction began in 1956, and the highway was opened to traffic by then-prime minister Aldo Moro on 4 October 1964.
The A1 reduced driving time between Milan and Naples from two days to just seven to eight hours. The section between Rome and Naples was originally designated A2, but it was incorporated into A1 following the opening of the bypass from Fiano Romano to San Cesareo on 21 July 1988.

Route

Variante di Valico

Variante di Valico is a deviation of the Autostrada A1 opened to traffic on 23 December 2015, between Sasso Marconi and Barberino di Mugello in central Italy. The entire project covers a length of 62.5 km, of which 37 km involved adding a third lane on each side of the existing A1 and 25 km the construction of the new section, most of which consists of viaducts and tunnels, the longest tunnel being 8.7 km in length. The new section runs parallel to the central part of the Bologna-Florence Autostrada A1. The earlier motorway remains open, providing an alternative route. The A1 splits up north of the Apennines, the two sections rejoining south of the mountains.

Other Italian roads