Milan, 13 August (LaPresse) – Red alert for the Ferragosto long weekend on Italian roads, with 12.21 million vehicles expected to be on the road over the weekend. This is the estimate by the Anas Road Mobility Observatory for the fourth weekend of the summer exodus, marked once again by departures. ‘Traffic is expected to increase steadily as travellers who have remained in large cities take a few days off to celebrate 15 August in nearby locations,’ the FS Group company said in a statement. Viabilità Italia has announced a red alert starting tomorrow afternoon, Thursday 14 August, and for Friday 15 August: there will be a sharp increase in traffic from large urban centres throughout Italy towards holiday resorts, the seaside in the south and the mountains in the north, and towards the national borders. Traffic will decrease on Saturday 16 August: after the black alerts of recent weeks, no long-distance travel is expected, only short trips out of town. Sunday will be another red alert day, with heavy traffic expected towards large urban centres. In view of the large increase in traffic, Anas has increased its staff throughout the country and reduced the number of roadworks. Until 8 September, 1,392 roadworks will be closed or suspended, approximately 83% of those currently active (1,672).