Rome to swap sampietrini for asphalt on several major streets.

Rome's traditional cobblestones or sampietrini are to disappear from 68 streets in the centre, including several thoroughfares with heavy traffic, as part of a major programme of road works.

Cobblestones will be replaced with more traffic-friendly asphalt on streets such as Viale Aventino whose sampietrini will be laid on the central Via del Corso.

The city has already removed sampietrini from Via IV Novembre which links Piazza Venezia to Via Nazionale. The sampietrini will be retained in Piazza Venezia but removed from Via Nazionale.

• Sampietrini: the story of Rome's iconic cobblestones

The sampietrini in the central part of Via IV Novembre have been replaced by asphalt, a "surface more suitable for the transit of scooters, bicycles and public transport" - according to Rome mayor Virginia Raggi - with the cobblestones left at the sides of the roadway as "historical evidence."

Raggi said the sides of Viale Aventino will also retain a strip of cobblestones, the same as Via IV Novembre.

Roman drivers have a love-hate relationship with the basalt cobblestones which, although characteristic of the city, are dangerous for motorini - particularly in the rain - as well as being bumpy to drive over in cars and buses.