Autostrada A15 (Italy)

The A15 is an Italian autostrada (motorway) connecting Parma and La Spezia through the valleys of the Taro and Lunigiana Rivers. The road is also known as Autocamionale della Cisa because it crosses the Northern Apennines at the Cisa pass. The main 101-km expanse of the motorway connects the A1 with the A12 (Genoa-Rosignano Marittimo), thus directly linking the Po Valley with the Italian Riviera and the Versilia region.

The toll road is operated by the company Autocamionale della Cisa S.p.A. The franchisee's current toll charges are: car or motorcycle, €10.40; Overheight vehicle (>1.3m), €10.70; 3 Axles, €14.40; 4 Axles, €22.70; 5 or more Axles, €26.30.^[1]

At the 9-km mark, drivers are welcomed by a curious monument, a tuft of steel and cement sculpted by Luigi Magnani and placed in the traffic island between the two carriageways. The monument is visible to motorists coming from the A1.

A view of the A15 at Montelungo

History

The first phase of this motorway, dating to the 1950s, was designed to provide an alternative route between the Po Valley and the coastal Tyrrhenian Sea. The construction required several viaducts and tunnels to attain the maximum altitude of 745 metres above sea level at the entrance of the tunnel crossing. Built as a dual carriageway (divided highway), it is very curvilinear and challenging to drive and, therefore, has long been used for testing new heavy duty vehicles.

Except for short stretches of the highway, the road surface is not porous or fitted with storm drains, making it difficult to negotiate during heavy rain.

Route

The motorway begins from the A1, near Parma. From the Parma Ovest (West Parma) exit the highway climbs through the Taro Valley with exits to Fornovo di Taro, Borgotaro and the village of Berceto, all within the Emilia-Romagna region. After traversing the tunnel, the highway continues into Tuscany, with exits to Pontremoli and Aulla. Shortly after entering Liguria it intersects the A12 at Santo Stefano di Magra, a few kilometres from La Spezia.

There are five service stations and rest areas along the way.

A15 PARMA - LA SPEZIA Autocamionale della Cisa
Type	Highway Sign	↓km↓	↑km↑	Province	European route
	Milano - Roma	0	110	PR
	Parma ovest	5	105	PR
	Area servizio "Medesano"	15	95	PR
	Fornovo di Taro	23	87	PR
	Borgotaro	42	58	PR
	Berceto	51	49	PR
	Area servizio "Tugo"	54	46	PR
	Area servizio "Montaio"	65	45	MS
	Pontremoli	75	35	MS
	Area servizio "San Benedetto"	80	30	MS
	Aulla	91	19	MS
	Genova - Rosignano M.	101	9	MS
	Barriera La Spezia	102	8	SP
	La Spezia - S. Stefano Magra	102	8	SP
	Vezzano Ligure	103	7	SP
	Area servizio "Melara"	105	5	SP
	Stagnoni	108	3	SP
	Lerici - Porto	110	0	SP

Provincial Abbreviations: PR = Parma; MS = Massa-Carrera; SP = La Spezia

Proposed construction

A plan to extend the motorway route to the north through Fontevivo, Martignana di Po and Nogarole Rocca, linking to the A22 (the Autobrennero) around Verona, has been proposed. Land has been secured both for straightening the present route through the construction of new viaducts and tunnels and for the proposed extension. The town of Villafranca in Lunigiana and neighbouring municipalities have petitioned for opening such a new toll motorway. Negotiations have begun with private motorway companies and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

External links

• Autocisa S.p.A.
• Autostrade maps

Notes

Motorways in Italy
Major routes	A1 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20 A21 A22 A23 A24 A25 A26 A27 A28 A29 A30 A31 A32 A33 A34 A35 A36 A91
Beltways	A50-A51-A52-A58 (Milan) A54 (Pavia) A55 (Turin) A56 (Naples) A57 (Venice) A60 (Varese) A90/GRA (Rome) RA 01 (Bologna) RA 15 (Catania)
Road tunnels	T1 Mont Blanc T2 Great St Bernard T3 Bargagli-Ferriere T4 Fréjus
Junctions	RA 02 RA 03 RA 04 RA 05 RA 06 RA 07/A53 RA 08 RA 09 RA 10 RA 11 RA 12 RA 13 RA 14 RA 16 RA 17