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Autostrada A9 (Italy)

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Autostrada A9
Autostrada dei Laghi
(Lakes Motorway)
Route information
Part of E35
Maintained by ANAS
Length31.5 km (19.6 mi)
Existed21 September 1924[a]–present
Major junctions
South endLainate (A8)
Major intersections A8 in Lainate
A36 in Turate
A59 in Grandate (Como)
North endChiasso, Switzerland (Swiss A2)
Location
CountryItaly
RegionsLombardy
Highway system
← A 8→ A 10

The Autostrada A9 is an Italian motorway approximately 31.5 kilometres (19.6 mi) long, located entirely within the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It connects the A8 motorway at Lainate, near Milan, to Como and the Swiss border at Chiasso, where it joins the Swiss A2 motorway. The route is part of the European route E35.

Together with the A8 motorway (which connects Milan to Varese), the A9 forms part of the Autostrada dei Laghi ("Lakes Motorway"). This network, whose first section (Milan–Varese) was inaugurated on 21 September 1924, was the world's first purpose-built motorway reserved for motor vehicles.[1][2]

History

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Main article: Autostrade of Italy
King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy inaugurates the Autostrada dei Laghi ("Lakes Motorway"; now parts of A8 and A9), the world's first motorway,[1][2] on 21 September 1924, aboard a Lancia Trikappa.
Historical map (1926) of the Autostrada dei Laghi system.

The concept of reserved motorways originated in Italy. Engineer Piero Puricelli presented his project for the Autostrada dei Laghi in 1921, receiving the first governmental authorization to build a public-utility fast road. In a 1922 official document, he coined the term autostrada to describe roads designed for fast traffic, reserved solely for motor vehicles (autoveicoli).[3]

Construction took place between 1923 and 1924. The first section, from Milan to Varese (now part of the A8), was inaugurated on 21 September 1924, making Italy the first country with such a road.[1][2] The branch leading from Lainate towards Como (the current A9) was completed shortly after. Puricelli financed the project by introducing tolls.[4]

The original toll gate of the Autostrada dei Laghi in Milan, 1924.
Autostrada dei Laghi in the 1950s, before conversion to dual carriageway.

The project was considered futuristic at the time, as Italy had relatively few motor vehicles – approximately 84,000 in 1924, rising to around 173,000 by 1929.[5]

Originally built as a single-carriageway road, the Autostrada dei Laghi network, including the A9, was progressively upgraded to dual carriageways between the late 1950s and mid-1960s to handle increasing traffic volumes.[6][7]

Route

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Autostrada A9 near Saronno.
Autostrada A9 Monte Olimpino tunnel entrance near Como.
Como Grandate toll plaza.

The A9 originates from the A8 motorway near Lainate, northwest of Milan. It proceeds northwards, passing west of Saronno and connecting with the A36 Pedemontana Lombarda motorway near Turate. The route continues past Lomazzo and Fino Mornasco before reaching the Como area. It intersects with the A59 Tangenziale di Como (Como bypass) near Grandate. The main toll plaza (barriera) is located at Como Grandate. The motorway then proceeds through tunnels past Como city before reaching the Swiss border and customs area at Brogeda, connecting directly to the Swiss A2 motorway towards Lugano and the Gotthard Pass. The entire route is part of European route E35.

LAINATE – COMO – CHIASSO
Autostrada dei Laghi
Exit / Junction ↓km↓ ↑km↑ Province European route
Milano - Varese 0.0 km
(0 mi)		 31.5 km
(19.6 mi)		 MI E35
Origgio 3.7 km
(2.3 mi)		 27.8 km
(17.3 mi)		 VA
Uboldo 4.7 km
(2.9 mi)		 26.8 km
(16.7 mi)
Saronno 5.4 km
(3.4 mi)		 26.1 km
(16.2 mi)
Turate 8.7 km
(5.4 mi)		 22.8 km
(14.2 mi)		 CO
A36 Autostrada Pedemontana Lombarda 11.7 km
(7.3 mi)		 19.8 km
(12.3 mi)
Lomazzo Sud 13.4 km
(8.3 mi)		 18.1 km
(11.2 mi)
Lomazzo Nord 15.1 km
(9.4 mi)		 16.4 km
(10.2 mi)
Rest area "Lario" 17.3 km
(10.7 mi)		 14.2 km
(8.8 mi)
Fino Mornasco 19.5 km
(12.1 mi)		 12.0 km
(7.5 mi)
A59 Tangenziale di Como (Villa Guardia – Como Est) 22.6 km
(14.0 mi)		 8.9 km
(5.5 mi)
Toll gate Como Grandate 22.7 km
(14.1 mi)		 8.8 km
(5.5 mi)
Como Centro 23.5 km
(14.6 mi)		 9.0 km
(5.6 mi)
Como Monte Olimpino 29.1 km
(18.1 mi)		 3.4 km
(2.1 mi)
Lake Como 30.8 km
(19.1 mi)		 0.7 km
(0.43 mi)
Como Brogeda Customs
Rest area "Brogeda"
Italy–Switzerland border
Swiss A2 Motorway
Chiasso - Lugano - Gotthard - San Bernardino 		31.5 km
(19.6 mi)		 0.0 km
(0 mi)

Notes

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  1. ^ While the A9 branch to Como opened slightly later, the overall "Autostrada dei Laghi" project, including the first Milan-Varese section (now A8), was inaugurated on this date.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Lenarduzzi, Thea (30 January 2016). "The motorway that built Italy: Piero Puricelli's masterpiece". The Independent. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "The "Milano-Laghi" by Piero Puricelli, the first motorway in the world". Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Le prime autostrade su Strade ANAS" (in Italian). Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  4. ^ "1924 Mile Posts". Archived from the original on 12 March 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2006.
  5. ^ "Storia dell'automobile: quando c'era un'auto ogni 230 abitanti" (in Italian). Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  6. ^ Merzagora, Eugenio. "Motorways in Italy (numbering)". Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  7. ^ "L'evoluzione delle autostrade italiane 31 - Stagniweb". www.stagniweb.it. Retrieved 5 August 2024.

See also

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Other Italian road types

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Media related to Autostrada A9 (Italy) at Wikimedia Commons

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