User:WhatADayToday12/Porretta Pass

The Passo della Porretta, also known as the Passo della Collina, is an important mountain pass in the Apennines, located at an elevation of 932 meters above sea level. It lies between the western Limentra Valley of Sambuca, a tributary of the Reno River, and the basin of the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the Arno River.

Legend has it that even Hannibal passed through this pass with his infamous elephants during the Second Punic War, prior to the Battle of Lake Trasimeno.

Construction of the Tunnel
Since the construction of the "Traforo" (or tunnel), the old route of the Passo della Collina (approximately 8 km), which passes over the pass in the locality of "Collina" at 932 m above sea level, is no longer under the administration of ANAS but under the Municipality of Pistoia. It has been downgraded in favor of the current route that passes through the "Traforo" (from the locality of Spedaletto to the locality of Signorino).

The SS n. 64 from Ferrara to Pistoia, passing through Porretta Terme (commonly known as the Porrettana). The Galleria dello Spedaletto (or Signorino), opened to traffic in 1963, allows for a significantly lower crossing point compared to the previous route (approximately 700 meters above sea level). The stretch in Emilian territory (up to "Ponte della Venturina") has modest inclines, while the Tuscan section (much shorter) has slopes that reach nearly 10%.