Roads in Italy

Roads in Italy are an important mode of transport in Italy. The classification of roads of Italy is regulated by the Italian traffic code, both from a technical and administrative point of view. The street nomenclature usually reflects the administrative classification. Italy is one of the countries with the most vehicles per capita, with 690 vehicles per 1000 people in 2010.

Italy has a total of 487,700 km (303,000 mi) of paved roads, of which 7,016 km (4,360 mi) are motorways, called autostrade, with a general speed limit of 130 km/h (81 mph), which since 2009 can be raised to 150 km/h (93 mph) under specific circumstances. Around 25,000 km (16,000 mi) are Strade statali (Italian for "state highways") which make up the national network of state highways. State highways can range from dual-carriageway almost motorway-level roads to single carriageway two-lane roads; because of this, state highways have speed limits that range from 110 km/h (68 mph) all the way to 50 km/h (31 mph). This is also the case for regional and provincial roads. The routes of some nowadays state highways derive from ancient Roman roads, such as the Strada statale 7 Via Appia, which broadly follows the route of the Roman road of the same name.

Strade regionali (Italian for "regional road") are a type of Italian road maintained by the regions they traverse. Most regional roads are former state highways which were ceded by the state to the regions which the highway traversed for better management. A regional road is less important than a state highway, but more important than a strada provinciale (Italian for "provincial road"). A provincial road is an Italian road that is maintained by provinces or metropolitan cities, and, similarly to regional roads, are usually former state highways ceded by the state to the provinces which the highway traversed. A provincial street is less important than a regional road, but more important than a strada comunale (Italian for "municipal road"). Municipal roads are maintained by municipalities (comuni). They can be roads owned by the comune (inside population centers) or roads managed by the comune (outside population centers). The general speed limit of municipal roads is 50 km/h (31 mph), but many municipalities have chosen to lower it to 30 km/h (19 mph) to increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Italy was the first country in the world to build a motorway, defined as a road reserved for fast traffic and motor vehicles only. The Autostrada dei Laghi ("Lakes Motorway"), was the first to be built in the world, to connect Milan to Lake Como and Lake Maggiore. It was devised by Piero Puricelli 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. The Lakes Motorway is now part of the Autostrada A8 and Autostrada A9.