Autostrada A12 (Italy)

The Autostrada A12 or Autostrada Azzurra ("Blue motorway") is an autostrada (Italian for "motorway") 275.4 kilometres (171.1 mi) long in Italy located in the regions of Liguria, Tuscany and Lazio composed of two unconnected parts. The first one connects Genoa and San Pietro in Palazzi, the second connects Tarquinia and Rome. The road is one of the motorways on the Italian west coast. It is a part of the E80 European route.

Overview

Plans to build the remaining stretch have existed for long time. A "superstrada" (an almost motorway-like road, with 2 separate carriageways and interchanges) with a speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph) exists between San Pietro in Palazzi and Grosseto, but the present road between Grosseto and Tarquinia has 90 km/h (56 mph) speed limit, with long parts of single carriageway and even some parts of 2-lane road. The 2 proposed solutions are an entirely new motorway (with higher impact on the environment), and the upgrade to motorway standard of the present road (more environmentally friendly).

On 17 May 2017 the European Commission announced that it would be taking legal action against the government of Italy for awarding an extension of its A12 motorway concession contract to Società Autostrada Tirrenica p.A without undertaking a competitive procurement exercise in accordance with EU procurement regulations.^[1]