The big summer vacation in Italy is coming to an end and the peak of the "Controesodo", the big wave of returning travelers, is imminent. The national road authority Anas has declared the highest warning level for the coming weekend and is calling it a "red flag weekend". Around 12.25 million vehicle movements are expected across the country, which is likely to cause extremely heavy traffic and considerable congestion, especially on Saturday afternoon and throughout Sunday. Traffic is now shifting noticeably from the vacation regions back to the major cities in central and northern Italy.
Appeal for caution and the biggest traffic jam traps
In view of the traffic jams, Anas Managing Director Claudio Andrea Gemme urges drivers to be sensible: "Wistfulness about the end of the vacations and the desire to get to your destination quickly can lead to risky behavior." He refers to a study according to which many Italians do not consider speeding and distracted driving to be dangerous. "In particular, I would ask you never to be behind the wheel on your cell phone - everything else can wait," says Gemme.
The main traffic arteries heading north are particularly prone to traffic jams. These include the A2 "Autostrada del Mediterraneo" in southern Italy, the coastal roads SS106 "Jonica" and SS18 "Tirrena Inferiore" as well as the SS1 "Aurelia" and SS16 "Adriatica". High traffic volumes are also expected on the major island highways A19 and A29 in Sicily and the SS131 in Sardinia. Other bottlenecks are the connecting roads to Rome, such as the SS148 "Pontina" and the important north-south connection E45.
Fewer roadworks and driving bans for trucks
Anas has taken proactive measures to ensure the best possible traffic flow. By September 8, 1,392 roadworks will be suspended, which corresponds to around 83 % of all active roadworks. In addition, the number of staff monitoring the traffic network will be increased. To further relieve congestion on the highways, heavy vehicles will be banned from driving this weekend. Trucks will not be allowed to travel on Saturday, August 23, from 8 am to 4 pm and on Sunday, August 24, from 7 am to 10 pm.
