The Autovía A-23 is a motorway in
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
.
A-23 is an upgrade of the
N-330 and
N-234. As of June 2020, it starts in the province of
Huesca
Huesca (; an, Uesca) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the comarca of Hoya de Huesca. In 2009 it had a population of 52,059, alm ...
then runs south to
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributa ...
. Then, it follows the
Jiloca River south to
Teruel
Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with a ...
, through the Sierra d'Espada, to the coast at
Sagunt
Sagunto ( ca-valencia, Sagunt) is a municipality of Spain, located in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community. It belongs to the modern fertile ''comarca'' of Camp de Morvedre. It is located c. 30 km north of the city of Valencia, cl ...
o. Plans call for the freeway to reach the French border at Somport where a 8.6-km two-lane cross-border tunnel has been in operation since 2003. The freeway is also known as ''Autovía Valencia-Francia'' or ''Autovía Sagunto-Somport''.
Once fully complete, it will serve as an important connection between
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area also ...
,
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...
, the
Basque region, and
France, through the Somport tunnel. The highway's nickname is "''spine of Aragon''" since it runs along the north-south through the region.
The A-23 runs through the corridors of the
N-234, between
Sagunto
Sagunto ( ca-valencia, Sagunt) is a municipality of Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Bey ...
and
Retascón and the
N-330 between Retascón and
Jaca
Jaca (; in Aragonese: ''Chaca'' or ''Xaca'') is a city of northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca, located near the Pyrenees and the border with France. Jaca is an ancient fort on the Aragón River, situated at the crossing of two great ea ...
. The road is new and independent of national roads with two exceptions, one being 10 km from
Viver (Ragudo rise), and the other between
Nueno and
Monrepós, about 75 km south of Somport using parts of the N-330 to cross the difficult terrain of the
Pre-Pyrenees
The Pre-Pyrenees are the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Description
As a mountainous system the Pre-Pyrenees are part of the Pyrenees. They run parallel to the main mountain range in a west to east direction.
On the French side the Pyrenees's slo ...
mountains. This was the most expensive portion of the highway to build.
Name
The highway's name is derived from, like almost all Spanish "national roads" turned into highways, the first two figures of the old name (N- 23 4> A- 23 ). The letter A is used for highways belonging to the Ministry of Development.
The A-23 also has European nomenclature, as part of the European route E07, which connects
Pau, France with
Zaragoza, Spain
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributar ...
.
In the French section, the route is called RN134, which connects Pau to Oloron-Sainte-Marie and Spain.
History
A-23 is a new highway, which follows the same route of two national roads, the N-234 between
Sagunto
Sagunto ( ca-valencia, Sagunt) is a municipality of Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Bey ...
and Daroca - Retascón, and the N-330 between Retascón and
Jaca
Jaca (; in Aragonese: ''Chaca'' or ''Xaca'') is a city of northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca, located near the Pyrenees and the border with France. Jaca is an ancient fort on the Aragón River, situated at the crossing of two great ea ...
. Construction began in 1999 from the city of Sagunto and currently sections are still under construction in the north of the province of
Huesca
Huesca (; an, Uesca) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the comarca of Hoya de Huesca. In 2009 it had a population of 52,059, alm ...
.
The section stretching from
Calamocha to Romans of the A-23 is 27.8 kilometers long, and cost 98.7 million
euro
The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens ...
s.
The motorway has been completed between
Teruel
Teruel () is a city in Aragon, located in eastern Spain, and is also the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 35,675 in 2014 making it the least populated provincial capital in the country. It is noted for its harsh climate, with a ...
,
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributa ...
and
Huesca
Huesca (; an, Uesca) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the comarca of Hoya de Huesca. In 2009 it had a population of 52,059, alm ...
, meaning that all three provincial capitals in Aragon are connected. As of late 2019 the A-23 runs continuously as far as Lanave near
Sabiñánigo
Sabiñánigo (''Samianigo'' in Aragonese) is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragón, Spain, capital of the comarca of Alto Gállego. Formerly, the region was called Serrablo, hence the demonym "serrablese".
Sabiñánigo is at a ...
, but work on some sections north of this point still remains unfinished, as plans to link to
Jaca
Jaca (; in Aragonese: ''Chaca'' or ''Xaca'') is a city of northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca, located near the Pyrenees and the border with France. Jaca is an ancient fort on the Aragón River, situated at the crossing of two great ea ...
and eventually the French border are yet to be completed. The route also links from Zaragoza to the Cantabrian by the A-68, to northern Navarre,
Pamplona
Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region.
Lying at near above ...
and the Basque Country by the A-21 (also unfinished) and to
Lleida
Lleida (, ; Spanish: Lérida ) is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida.
Geographically, it is located in the Catalan Central Depression. It is also the capital city of the Segrià comarca, as ...
by the A-22 which is close to completion.
Issues
The stretch between Zaragoza and Huesca presents problems for light trucks when strong wind gusts occur in Cierzo.
In the section Turolense occurred post-construction problems slopes detachment, Chirico and constant danger of affecting the circulation within a few months of being opened and in 2009 had to run resurfacing work to the problems identified waterlogging and subsidence.
On July 22, 2010, a funding cut by the Spanish Ministry of Development forced two sections under construction between Nueno and Jaca, and a third between Jaca and Santa Cilia de Jaca, to be delayed (see diagram sections) for between one and four years. Work has subsequently resumed.
Current Path
The highway currently runs from the town of
Sagunto
Sagunto ( ca-valencia, Sagunt) is a municipality of Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Bey ...
, near
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area also ...
, to the town of
Nueno, near
Huesca
Huesca (; an, Uesca) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the comarca of Hoya de Huesca. In 2009 it had a population of 52,059, alm ...
. Between Nueno and
Sabiñánigo
Sabiñánigo (''Samianigo'' in Aragonese) is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragón, Spain, capital of the comarca of Alto Gállego. Formerly, the region was called Serrablo, hence the demonym "serrablese".
Sabiñánigo is at a ...
there are several sections already converted to highway, although some others are either stopped or under construction. The highway also goes straight from Sabiñánigo to
Jaca
Jaca (; in Aragonese: ''Chaca'' or ''Xaca'') is a city of northeastern Spain in the province of Huesca, located near the Pyrenees and the border with France. Jaca is an ancient fort on the Aragón River, situated at the crossing of two great ea ...
.
At this time there is no active plan for further construction of the 19 km from North Jaca to the Somport tunnel. Instead, the highway will only consist of road improvements and detours through local towns. Currently, the time it takes to go from Sagunto to Somport is ~ 4 hours and 36 minutes.
Sections
*05/08/2015: 2016 Proposals: http://www.sepg.pap.minhap.gob.es/Presup/PGE2016Proyecto/MaestroDocumentos/PGE-ROM/doc/HTM/N_16_A_V_2_R_1_210_1_117_1.HTM
Route
Sagunto - Zaragoza
Zaragoza North - Nueno
Nueno - Jaca-Canfranc
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Autovia A-23
A-23
A-23
A-23