With Ferragosto falling on a weekend this year, Italy’s motorway construction and maintenance company ANAS said heavy traffic is expected across the country as holidaymakers head towards their destinations and others return home.
According to data from Viabilità Italia, a bollino rosso, a red alert for heavy traffic with potentially critical conditions, is expected on the afternoon of Friday, August 14th, the morning of Saturday August 15th, and all day on Sunday, August 16th.
Traffic is expected to be lighter, with a yellow alert, on Saturday evening and Monday evening.
On Friday and on Saturday morning, most traffic is expected to flow from major cities towards seaside destinations, while Sunday is likely to see more people travelling back towards Italy’s larger cities.
Which roads will be busiest?
Traffic is expected to increase on Italy’s main tourist routes, according to ANAS. These include the A2 “Autostrada del Mediterraneo,” which passes through Campania, Basilicata and Calabria, the state roads 106 Jonica and 18 Tirrena Inferiore in Calabria, the A19 Palermo-Catania and A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo motorways in Sicily, and the state road 131 Carlo Felice in Sardinia.
Other roads expected to see heavier traffic include the state road 148 Pontina and SS7 Appia in Lazio, which connect Rome with tourist destinations in southern Lazio, the E45 route through Umbria, Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, and the SS1 Aurelia and SS16 Adriatica.
In northern Italy, increased traffic is expected on the RA13 and RA14 motorways in Friuli-Venezia Giulia towards the border crossings, as well as the SS36 around Lake Como, the SS45 in Liguria, the SS26 in the Aosta Valley, the SS309 Romea between Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, and the SS51 Alemagna in Veneto.
A ban on vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes is also in place on Friday August 14th, from 4pm to 10pm, as well as on Saturday August 15th, and Sunday, August 16th, from 7am to 10pm.
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ANAS said it had also increased staffing across Italy and reduced the number of active roadwork sites ahead of the holiday weekend. A total of 1,175 roadwork sites, or 83 percent of currently active sites, will be closed or suspended until September 7th.
To cope with the expected increase in traffic, ANAS said around 2,500 technicians and road operations staff will monitor the traffic situation and provide assistance to drivers and help manage traffic.
How can I keep up with the latest traffic updates?
Rai-Isoradio broadcasts and Onda Verde news on the three Radio-Rai networks share frequent traffic updates.
Motorway company Autostrade per l’Italia also provides real-time maps and information on traffic, road closures, weather conditions and roadworks. Drivers can enter their starting point and destination and calculate the best route on the website.
Italy’s motorway construction and maintenance company ANAS also features live traffic updates, available both on their website and the mobile app VAI.
Drivers who need to speak with an operator can contact ANAS’s customer service at toll-free number 800 841 148 or by using their live chat, or call the road safety information coordination centre at 1518.