A15 (Italy)

Autostrada A15
Autostrada della Cisa
Toll road
Route information
Part of E33
Maintained by ANAS
Length	108.5 km (67.4 mi)
Existed	1975–present
Major junctions
North end	Parma
Major intersections	A1 in Parma A12 in Aulla
South end	La Spezia
Location
Country	Italy
Regions	Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Liguria
Highway system
Roads in Italy Autostrade State Regional Provincial
← A 14 → A 16

The Autostrada A15 or Autostrada della Cisa ("Cisa Motorway") is an autostrada (Italian for "motorway") 108.5 kilometers (67.4 mi) long connecting Parma and La Spezia through the valleys of the Taro and Magra rivers.

The road is also known as Autostrada 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.

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.

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

Autostrada A15 near Parma, with the steel monument in the shape of a "tuft" placed in the large traffic island between the two carriageways.

Autostrada A15 near Berceto

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.

PARMA – LA SPEZIA Autostrada della Cisa
Exit	↓km↓	↑km↑	Province	European route
Milano - Roma	0.0	108.5	PR	E 33
Parma ovest	5.2	103.3	PR	E 33
Rest area "Medesano"	14.7	93.8	PR	E 33
Fornovo di Taro	22.7	85.8	PR	E 33
Borgotaro	42.1	66.4	PR	E 33
Berceto	51.0	57.5	PR	E 33
Rest area "Tugo"	54.3	54.2	PR	E 33
Rest area "Montaio"	65.3	--	MS	E 33
Pontremoli	74.6	33.9	MS	E 33
Rest area "San Benedetto"	79.8	28.7	MS	E 33
Aulla	91.4	17.1	MS	E 33
Genova - Rosignano M.	100.7	7.8	MS	E 33
Toll gate La Spezia	101.7	6.8	SP	E 33
Diramazione per Santo Stefano di Magra	101.9	6.6	SP	E 33
Vezzano Ligure	103.2	5.3	SP	E 33
Rest area "Melara"	--	2.0	SP	E 33
Melara - Pianazze Industrial area	--	1.9	SP	E 33
La Spezia Porto Port of La Spezia Raccordo per Lerici	107.6	0.9	SP	E 33
La Spezia Via Carducci Town center Boarding cruises Ferries to Palmaria, Porto Venere, Cinque Terre, Italian Riviera and Versilia Porto Venere Cinque Terre National Park	108.5	0.0	SP	E 33

Santo Stefano di Magra connection

DIRAMAZIONE PER SANTO STEFANO DI MAGRA Santo Stefano di Magra connection
Exit	↓km↓	↑km↑	Province
Santo Stefano di Magra	0.0	1.2	SP
Industrial area	0.2	1.0
Area Retroportuale Port of La Spezia	0.5	0.7
Parma - La Spezia	1.2	0.0

Lerici connection

RACCORDO PER LERICI Lerici connection
Exit	↓km↓	↑km↑	Province
Parma - La Spezia	0.0	3.7	SP
Porto Est Port of La Spezia Industrial area	0.6	3.1
di Lerici Romito Magra	3.7	0.0

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.

See also

• Autostrade of Italy
• Roads in Italy
• Transport in Italy

Other Italian roads

• State highways (Italy)
• Regional road (Italy)
• Provincial road (Italy)
• Municipal road (Italy)

External links

• Autocisa S.p.A.
• Autostrade maps