Autostrada A26 (Italy)

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Autostrada A26 shield}}
Autostrada A26
Autostrada dei Trafori
Route information
Part of E25 and E62
Maintained by ANAS
Length197.1 km (122.5 mi)
Existed1977–present
Major junctions
South endGenoa
Major intersections A10 in Genoa
A21 in Alessandria
A4 in Vercelli
North endGravellona Toce
Location
CountryItaly
RegionsLiguria, Piedmont
Highway system
A 25 A 27

The Autostrada A26 is an autostrada (Italian for "motorway") 197.1 kilometres (122.5 mi) long in the northwestern Italian regions of Liguria and Piedmont. It is named the Autostrada dei Trafori ("Tunnels Motoway") after the numerous tunnels through which it passes, both Apennine and Subalpine. It runs northwards from Genoa on the Ligurian coast, over the Apennines, and across the wide plain of the Po valley to the environs of Lake Maggiore and the mouth of the Val d’Ossola. In addition to this ‘main trunk’ of the road, there are three side branches, also of motorway class which function as link roads between the A26 and the A7, the A4 and the A8. The A26, together with these link roads, is managed by Autostrade per l'Italia S.p.A.

Route[edit]

Gorsexio Viaduct
The A26 near Alessandria, heading south towards the Apennines.
The cloverleaf junction at Gravellona Toce

The A26 begins from the Genoese town of Pra', which lies on the coast to the west of the city centre. (Note that the gate of Pra' is still wrongly named "Voltri", nevertheless, Voltri has anything to do with the motorway gate and that the City of Genova has formally asked for the change of its name in "Gate of Pra' "). It crosses the Apennines at the Passo del Turchino (532m) and passes through Ovada. Near Castelferro (frazione of Predosa) an eastern branch, the Autostrada A26/A7, provides links to Novi Ligure and to the Autostrada A7 (Genoa – Milan) which it joins near Spineto Scrivia, to the south of Tortona.

The A26 continues northwards until near Alessandria there is an interchange with the Autostrada A21 (TurinBrescia). The road crosses the Po River just east of Casale Monferrato. South of Vercelli a western branch, the Autostrada A4/26, provides a connection to the Autostrada A4 (Turin – Trieste) near Santhià, and continues as the Autostrada A4/A5 to the Autostrada A5 (Turin – Aosta – Monte Bianco) which it joins at Pavone Canavese, just south of Ivrea.

Further north, between Greggio and Biandrate Vicolungo to the west of Novara, the A26 intersects with the Autostrada A4 (Turin – Trieste), and at Sesto Calende with the Autostrada A8. The road passes close to Romagnano Sesia and Ghemme where there is an exit for the Valsesia. It proceeds north-east and follows the shore of Lago Maggiore with exits for Arona, Brovello-Carpugnino, Baveno - Stresa, Verbania and Gravellona Toce. From here the Strada Statale SS 33 del Sempione continues the route northwards, initially as a superstrada (a form of expressway), to Domodossola and then via the Val Divedro to the Swiss border, affording access to the Simplon Pass.

Autostrada A26 near San Salvatore Monferrato
Autostrada A26 near Arona
GENOA - GRAVELLONA TOCE
Autostrada dei Trafori
Exit ↓km↓ ↑km↑ Province European Route
Genova - Ventimiglia
Livorno
0.0 197.1 GE E25
Rest area "Turchino" 6.8 190.2
Masone 14.0 183.0
Rest area "Stura" 25.5 171.5 AL
Ovada 29.9 167.1
Diramazione Predosa - Bettole 45.2 151.8
Rest area "Bormida" 52.9 144.1
Alessandria Sud 59.5 137.5
Torino - Piacenza - Brescia 69.3 127.7
Rest area "Monferrato" 83.5 113.5
Casale Monferrato Sud 89.6 107.4
Casale Monferrato Nord 94.1 102.9
Diramazione Stroppiana - Santhià 107.2 89.8 VC
Rest area "Sesia" 108.2 88.8
Vercelli Est 116.8 80.2
Torino - Trieste 128.5 68.5 NO
Romagnano Sesia - Ghemme 145.1 51.9
Borgomanero 153.4 43.6
{ Rest area "Agogna" 154.8 42.2
Diramazione Gallarate - Gattico 160.2 34.3 E62
Arona 165.5 31.5
Toll gate Lago Maggiore 166.6 30.4
Meina 171.1 25.9
Carpugnino 181.3 15.7 VB
Baveno - Stresa 190.0 7.0
Verbania
del Lago Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
194.0 3.0
Gravellona Toce
del Lago Maggiore
Lake Orta
194.2 2.8
Ornavasso
del Sempione
197.1 0.0

A7/A26 Bettole-Predosa connection[edit]

Autostrada A7-A26 marker

Autostrada A7-A26

LocationBettole – Predosa Link
Length17 km (11 mi)

The Autostrada A7/A26 Diramazione Bettole-Predosa (A7/A26) is a 17 km motorway which links the A26 near Predosa with the Autostrada A7 near Bettole (a frazione of Pozzolo Formigaro). The entire autostrada is within the Province of Alessandria. Its sole exit is for Novi Ligure and it provides a convenient means of access to both the A7 and the A26 from that town.[1]

A7/A26 Bettole-Predosa connection near Novi Ligure
AUTOSTRADA A26/A7
A7/A26 Bettole-Predosa connection
Exit ↓km↓ ↑km↑ Province European route
Genova - Gravellona Toce 0.0 17.0 AL --
Novi Ligure 7.9 9.1
Rest area "Marengo" 9.7 7.3
Milano - Genova 17.0 0.0

A4/A26 Stroppiana-Santhià connection[edit]

Autostrada A4-A26 marker

Autostrada A4-A26

LocationStroppiana-Santhià Link
Length30.7 km (19.1 mi)

The Autostrada A4/A26 Diramazione Stroppiana-Santhià (A4/A26) is a 32 km motorway which links the A26 near Stroppiana with the Autostrada A4 near Santhià. It forms part of the 1,547 km European route E25 which connects Hook of Holland in the Netherlands to Palermo in Sicily. The layout of the road is level with two lanes in each direction.

A4/A26 Stroppiana-Santhià connection near Vercelli
AUTOSTRADA A4/A26
A4/A26 Stroppiana-Santhià connection
Exit ↓km↓ ↑km↑ Province European route
Genova - Gravellona Toce 0.0 30.7 VC E25
Rest area "Le Risaie" [2] - 29.3
Vercelli Ovest 8,0 22.7
Rest area "Cavour"[3] 29.0 -
Torino - Milano
Santhià
30.6 0.1
A4/5 Ivrea
Torino - Aosta
30.7 0.0

A8/A26 Gallarate-Gattico connection[edit]

Autostrada A8-A26 marker

Autostrada A8-A26

LocationGallarate-Gattico Link
Length24 km (15 mi)

The Autostrada A8/A26 Diramazione Gallarate-Gattico (A8/A26) is a motorway which connects the A26 near Gattico with the Autostrada A8 near Gallarate. It forms part of the 1,290 km European route E62 which connects Nantes in western France to Genova. The road was built to provide a route for traffic from Domodossola and the Simplon Pass to Milan and thence to the parts of the peninsula to the east of the Apennines. It has two lanes in each direction from Gallarate to Sesto Calende and three from Sesto Calende to Gattico.

A8/A26 Gallarate-Gattico connection near Besnate
AUTOSTRADA A8/A26
Gallarate - Gattico connection
Exit ↓km↓ ↑km↑ Province European route
Milano - Varese 0.0 24.0 VA E62
Toll gate Gallarate Ovest 2.5 21.5
Besnate 4.0 20.0
Rest area "Verbano" 6.1 17.9
Sesto Calende - Vergiate
del Sempione: Lake Maggiore
del Lago di Monate: Lake Monate
11.9 12.1
Castelletto Ticino
Ticinese
del Sempione: Lake Maggiore
17.9 6.1 NO
Genova - Gravellona Toce 24.0 0.0

See also[edit]

Other Italian roads[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^ Atlante Stradale d'Italia: Guida Agriturismo e Mappe Italia
  2. ^ Only in the direction of Alessandria-Gravellona Toce
  3. ^ Only in the direction of Genoa.

References[edit]

  • "A26 Genova – Gravellona Toce". AISCAT.

External links[edit]