The traffic wardens are back. Starting April 1, the orange-vested crew returns to the most chaotic spots along SS 163 to manage the spring and summer traffic crush.
If you've driven the coast road during peak season, you've seen them — stationed at blind corners in Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, and the Castiglione junction above Ravello, waving cars through one at a time when the road turns into a standoff between tour buses and rental Fiats.
They're not a long-term solution. But for now, they're the only thing keeping the road from turning into a parking lot.
The Problem
The Amalfi Coast has talked for years about a territorial ZTL (limited traffic zone) to control vehicle access. A centralized booking system, daily limits, coordinated across towns — the kind of thing that might actually work.
It hasn't happened. The digital platform needed to run the system is still stuck in procurement. So instead, we get temporary fixes.
The Wardens
The traffic wardens will be on duty from April 1 through the busy season, covering Easter and the high-traffic months. Their job is simple: prevent gridlock. They stand at narrow sections, manage flow during backups, and keep things moving when two buses meet head-on with nowhere to go.
For years, funding has come from two sources: €150,000 from ANAS (the national road authority) and €300,000 from Regione Campania. Together, that covers the seven-month stretch from spring to All Saints' Day in November.
This year, there's a problem. ANAS confirmed their contribution, but Regione Campania reportedly hasn't — at least not yet.
The Funding Gap
The holdup sits with the new regional government. Roberto Fico, elected regional president in November 2025, reportedly rejected a request from councilor Luca Cascone to confirm the regional share.
Without that €300,000, the warden service can only run for part of the season. That's not enough. Easter is the first real test, and the road doesn't get easier in May, June, July, or August.
Coast mayors are already pushing for an urgent meeting with Fico to restore the funding. If it doesn't happen, the wardens disappear mid-season — right when the road is at its worst.
What This Means for Visitors
If you're coming to the coast this spring, expect the wardens to be there for Easter and the early season. After that, it depends on whether the regional funding comes through.
Either way, the traffic situation on SS 163 won't change much. The road is narrow, the towns are packed, and there are too many cars. The wardens help, but they can't fix the underlying issue.
Until the ZTL actually happens — if it happens — this is what we've got: people in vests, standing in the heat, trying to keep a scenic two-lane road from collapsing under its own popularity.
Spring is here. The tourists are coming. The wardens are back. And the coast is crossing its fingers that the money shows up before summer does.
