Editing Road hierarchy (section)

=== Italy ===
{{Main |Roads in Italy#Technical classification}}
In Italy, roads can be classified according to an administrative hierarchy into [[State highways (Italy)|state]], [[Regional road (Italy)|regional]], [[Provincial road (Italy)|provincial]] and [[Municipal road (Italy)|municipal]] roads. They can also be classified into the following design types.

==== Autostrade ====
[[File:Autostrada del Sole - Italy - panoramio.jpg|thumb|[[Autostrada A1 (Italy)|Autostrada A1]] runs through [[Italy]] linking some of the [[List of cities in Italy|largest cities of the country]]: [[Milan]], [[Bologna]], [[Florence]], [[Rome]] and [[Naples]]]]

{{lang|it|[[Autostrade of Italy|Autostrade]]}} ([[motorway]]s) are designated by an "A" prefix and signed with a white‑on‑green octagonal shield. They are managed by concessionaire companies under the [[Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (Italy)|Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport]], with tolls collected via closed (distance‑based) or open (flat‑rate) systems. The standard speed limit for cars is 130 km/h, with provisions up to 150 km/h on concession sections equipped with the [[SPECS (speed camera)|SICVE]] average‑speed system. As of July 2022, they total about 7,016 km, plus 13 [[spur route]]s totalling 355 km, for a density of 22.4 km of motorway per 1,000 km² of territory. They feature varying lane configurations: 1,870.2 km with three lanes per carriageway, 129 km with four lanes, 1.8 km with five, and the remainder with two lanes per carriageway.

Italy inaugurated the world’s first motorway in 1924 with the {{lang|it|[[Autostrada dei Laghi]]}}  ("Lakes Motorway") connecting [[Milan]] and [[Lake Como]] and [[Lake Maggiore]], originally opened as a single‑carriageway road.

==== Extra-urban roads ====

[[Dual carriageway]]s (unofficially called {{lang|it|superstrade}}) are divided into:<ref name="aci">{{cite web |url= http://www.aci.it/index.php?id=460 |title= Codice della strada della Repubblica Italiana |trans-title= Italian Highway Code |author= Automobile Club Italia |access-date= 1 February 2010 |language= it}}</ref>
* {{lang|it|[[Strada extraurbana principale|Strade extraurbane principale]]}} (type-B): toll-free main highways with paved shoulders, built to near‑motorway standards, with a maximum speed of 110 km/h and at least two lanes per direction. Signs are white‑on‑blue and, as in ''autostrade'', pedestrians, bicycles, and slow vehicles are prohibited.  
* {{lang|it|Strade extraurbane secondarie}} (type-C): all non‑urban roads that lack full type-A/B standards. They have a 90 km/h speed limit and may be single‑carriageway.

==== Urban roads ====  

There are three types:<ref name="aci"/>
* {{lang|it|Strade urbane di scorrimento}} (type-D): urban expressways with at‑level junctions and a 70 km/h limit.
* {{lang|it|Strade urbana di quartiere}} (type-E): two-lane neighborhood routes; they include {{lang|it|strada urbana ciclabile}} (type E-bis), cycle‑priority streets with 30 km/h limits.
* {{lang|it|Strade locali}} (type-F): they include {{lang|it|strade vicinali}} which provide direct property access and {{lang|it|itinerari ciclopedonali}} providing safe pedestrian or cycle travel.