Autostrada

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Autostrada sign
Autostrada sign

Autostrada is the Italian word for motorways/freeways, but is used in several countries including Romania, Poland, Switzerland, Lithuania, Albania, Belgium, Egypt and Israel. Italy's Autostradas have the speed limit of 130 km/h (~80 mph); with the limits for trucks being lower, at 80 km/h(~50mph). During times of heavy rain or snow, the speed limits for cars is lowered to 110 km/h (~70mph).

Autostrada E85 near Kaunas city in Lithuania, link to Warsaw
Autostrada E85 near Kaunas city in Lithuania, link to Warsaw

[edit] History

Italy was the first country in the world to build such roads, the first one being the "Autostrada dei Laghi" (Autostrada of the Lakes), from Milan to Varese, built in 1924. In 1927 the eastern Rome bypass, running 96 km was completed. It followed a dual carriageway design and was the first modern freeway bypass in Europe. This early motorway was extended in the early 1930's south to Naples and north to Florence where it merged with another Autostrada. Plans to further extend it southward to Sicily were scheduled in 1940.

In the 1930s the Fascist government built over 800 miles of motorways conncecting all of the major cities of Southern Italy and most of northern Italy. Construction ceased in 1941 due to World War II and the highway network fell into ruin[citation needed] until 1956, when the plans to rebuild the major links emerged. During the 1960's and 1970's most of the Autostradas was rebuilt and today is the fifth largest motorway network in the world.

Autostrada Soarelui (The Sun Motorway) in Romania
Autostrada Soarelui (The Sun Motorway) in Romania

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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