Strada statale 4 Via Salaria
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State Highway 4 | ||||
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Strada statale 4 | ||||
Salaria | ||||
ANAS | ||||
Length | 208.2 km (129.4 mi) reduced to 175 km since the Ascoli-Porto d'Ascoli trait was declassed to provincial road | |||
Existed | 1928–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
From | City centre of Rome | |||
Tangenziale Est and GRA in Rome; Autostrada A1 at Settebagni; SS 313 in Passo Corese; SS 636 di Palombara at Borgo Quinzio; SS 79 Ternana and SS 578 Salto Cicolana in Rieti; SS 17 in Antrodoco; SS 471 di Leonessa at Posta; SS 260 Picente at Amatrice; SS 685 delle Tre Valli Umbre at Arquata del Tronto; Raccordo autostradale 11 and SS 81 Piceno Aprutina at Ascoli Piceno | ||||
To | SS 16 Adriatica at Porto d'Ascoli | |||
Location | ||||
Country | Italy | |||
Regions | Lazio, Marche | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Strada statale 4 Via Salaria is an
Route
Rome to Rieti
Strada statale 4 Via Salaria starts Northeast of Rome, just outside the Aurelian Walls, where until 1921 Porta Salaria was located to control access to the city. The initial stretch of SS 4 is more similar to an urban road than to a highway, as the area has now become densely populated and buildings have been raised by the roadside. After four kilometres SS4 meets Tangenziale Est di Roma and, from that point on, becomes a busy dual carriageway urban road, filled by people leaving or entering the city.
In the Castel Giubileo neighborhood, SS4 exits the city of Rome and meets Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA), where most of the traffic flows. Immediately after, the road returns a single carriageway highway; in fact the subsequent 20 kilometer stretch, from the GRA to Passo Corese, has seen his importance reduced since the 6-lane Autostrada A1 runs parallel to it and absorbs most of the long-distance traffic. Nevertheless, SS4 remains important to many mid-sized towns in Rome's hinterland, such as Settebagni, Monterotondo and Mentana.
As the road passes the
6 km (3.7 mi) south of province capital
Rieti to the Adriatic
In Rieti SS4 turns sharply into East, quickly leaves the Rieti plain and prosecutes in the Velino valley. Shortly before Cittaducale, the road returns a single carriageway and pretty narrow road, which still needs to be uprated and follows a similar path to the ancient Roman road. While slightly ascending, SS4 reaches the spa town of Cotilia and then Antrodoco, where it joins State Highway 17 to L'Aquila.
In Antrodoco (470 metres on sea level) the road follows the river's valley, bending to the north and entering the narrow "Gole del Velino" canyon. Here SS4 becomes similar to a mountain road, since bends become more tight and the ascent more steep; but halfway through the canyon, a recently uprated stretch of the road begins, where tunnels and viaducts make the road smoother albeit still with a single carriageway.
In Posta, at 700 metres above sea level, SS4 leaves the canyon and keeps going up in a broader plateau. Shortly after Cittareale the highway reaches its upper point, the Torrita Pass, at around 1010 metres on the sea level.
From here on the roads descents following the course of the narrow Tronto valley. Soon after Amatrice and Accumoli, the road leaves Lazio and enters the region of Marche. Passing through Arquata del Tronto (780 metres on sea level) and Acquasanta Terme (390 metres), SS4 keeps descending until it reaches province capital Ascoli Piceno (150 metres on sea level).
After Ascoli the road continues towards the
Future interventions
Today SS4 is a busy road between Rieti and Passo Corese, as it is the main road link between Rieti and Rome; motorists use it to reach the Autostrada A1 in Passo Corese and continue towards Rome in the more modern road. In this trait SS4 has a single, albeit reasonably wide carriageway, which was constructed in the 1960s in place of an earlier, less smooth road.[1] For this reason, Italian Government plans to make SS4 a dual carriageway road between Rieti and Passo Corese, but around 1.5 billion euros are needed[2] and it is not known when funds will be granted.
Uprating of the trait from
References
- ^ "Relazione di sintesi". Ministero dell'Ambiente. 21 June 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
- ^ Camera dei deputati - Sistema Informativo Legge Opere Strategiche
- ^ "Via all'appalto del primo lotto della Salaria". Il Tempo, Rieti edition. 12 May 2005. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.