A4 Turin-Milan Section
The motorway starts in Turin, at the intersection of Corso Giulio Cesare and SS no. 11 “Padana Superiore”, and ends in Milan in Viale Certosa at the Milan-Lakes and Milan-Bergamo intersection, measuring a total of 126 km, along a mostly straight route.
The motorway crosses the major rivers Dora Baltea, Sesia and Ticino, and smaller rivers Malone, Orco, Elvo, Cervo, Rovasenda, Agogna, Terdoppio.
There are also 9 railway bridges, 5 crossings over state roads, 13 over provincial roads, 54 over municipal roads and 82 over local and private roads.
At Greggio station, along the A4 motorway, men and vehiclesare well-located across the territory, assuring a quick emergency service, and there are frequent lay-bys (approximately one every 250 metres), as well as numerous larger parking areas.
Along the whole motorway signposts indicate the progressive kilometre distance and other signs indicate the progressive number of the flyovers, helping drivers to locate their position.
The flyover number, shown on brown signboards installed in the centre of the motorway next to the relative flyover, is a useful reference for users needing to give precise indications for localising an event.
In addition to the barriers at Turin-Rondissone and Milan-Ghisolfa there are junctions at Settimo, Brandizzo, Chivasso Ovest, Chivasso Centro, Chivasso Est, Rondissone, Pero Fiera (not manned), Borgo d’Ale, Santhià, Carisio, Balocco, Greggio, Biandrate Vicolungo, Novara Ovest, Novara Est, Marcallo Mesero, Arluno and Rho.
The stations at Borgo d’Ale, Balocco, Greggio, Biandrate Vicolungo, Novara Ovest and Arluno are “highly automated” as the tolls are collected via telepass, viacard and cash.
Users can pay the tolls here in cash, at the automatic machines which also give change.
On the motorway, customers have access to 5 Service Areas on each carriageway (on average one every 30 km).
Two road police (Polizia Stradale) patrols and two equipped vehicles, driven by the "Road Safety Operators" run continuously along the motorway section to ensure a rapid response in case of need.
A21 Turin-Piacenza Section
The Turin-Piacenza section of the A21 Turin-Brescia motorway connects western Piedmont with the A1 "Autostrada del Sole", and generally follows the path of the SS 10 “Padana Inferiore”.
The road has a total length of 165 km; it starts in Santena at the end of the South Turin ring-road (6 km after the Turin-Savona interconnection) and after a straight stretch reaches Villanova d’Asti.
Past the Turin-Genoa railway, it runs along the SS 10 until after Asti.
Beyond Asti, the motorway heads north to Alessandria, intersecting with the A26 Voltri-Gravellona Toce, and then, crossing the Tanaro and Bormida rivers, reaches Tortona intersecting with the A7 Milan-Genoa.
Finally, it crosses the River Scrivia and interconnects with the A1 motorway at Piacenza Sud, from where the Società Centro Padane manages the remaining section of the A21 as far as Brescia.
The motorway covers mainly flat land and only 17% is bridges and viaducts; there are however 146 flyovers (around one every km) serving the ordinary road network.
The motorway crosses mainly farmland and vineyards, and indeed is known as the “WINE MOTORWAY”.
There are frequent lay-bys (approximately one every 250 metres), as well as numerous larger parking areas along the route.
At Casteggio station there is a large equipped parking area.
Along the motorway, in addition to the barriers at Villanova and Piacenza, stations can be found at Villanova Svincolo, Asti Ovest, Asti Est, Felizzano, Alessandria Ovest, Alessandria Est, Voghera, Casteggio, Broni Stradella and Castel San Giovanni.
With the exception of the two barriers and Asti Est, all the other stations are “highly automated” as the tolls are collected via telepass, viacard and cash.
Users can pay the tolls here in cash, at the automatic machines which also give change.