Ruta Nacional 3 ("National Route 3") is an

Argentine Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...

highway A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...

, stretching from the eastern side of the country in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, crossing the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

s of

, Río Negro,

Chubut Province Chubut ( es, Provincia del Chubut, ; cy, Talaith Chubut) is a province in southern Argentina, situated between the 42nd parallel south (the border with Río Negro Province), the 46th parallel south (bordering Santa Cruz Province), the Andes ra ...

, Santa Cruz and

Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego (, ; Spanish for "Land of the Fire", rarely also Fireland in English) is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of the main island, Isla G ...

. Since its start at

Avenida General Paz Avenida General Paz (official name Ruta Nacional A001 - National Route A001) is a beltway freeway surrounding the city of Buenos Aires. Roughly following the boundary between the city and Buenos Aires Province, it is one of the few motorways in ...

(A001) until the end, on the bridge over Lapataia River, it measures . The road is interrupted between km 2674 and 2696, due to the presence of

Magellan Strait The Strait of Magellan (), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The strait is considered the most important natural pass ...

, which forces access between Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego Provinces through

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

, over Ruta CH-255 and Ruta CH-257 paved north of the strait and another paved and treated long south of it. The crossing of the Magellan Strait is done in 20 minutes through the use of a

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

traversing the width of at that point. After National Decree 1931 of 3 August 1983, this road is called

Comandante Luis Piedrabuena Comandante Luis Piedrabuena is a town with 4,175 inhabitants in the department of Corpen Aike in Santa Cruz province in Argentina. Located on the left bank of the Santa Cruz river on Ruta Nacional N° 3, it is 231 km from the city of Río Gal ...

south of National Route 22, that is starting at km marker 719.

Cities

These are the main (over 5,000 inhabitants) cities and towns joined by this route, North to South. In the provinces of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego towns under 5,000 inhabitants are marked in ''italics''.

Buenos Aires Province

Ruta Nacional 3 en González Catán hacia el norte

Length: (from km marker 14 to 963). *

La Matanza Partido La Matanza ('The Slaughter' in Spanish) is a ''Partidos of Buenos Aires, partido'' (county or department) located in the urban agglomeration of Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. This provincial subdivision had 1,775,272 inh ...

: San Justo (km 17),

Isidro Casanova Isidro Casanova is a city in La Matanza Partido, Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina. It borders the towns of Villa Luzuriaga, San Justo, Buenos Aires, San Justo, Ciudad Evita, Rafael Castillo, Buenos Aires, Rafael Castillo, Gregorio de Laferrère, Bue ...

(km 19), Gregorio de Laferrere (km 26),

González Catán González Catán is a city located in La Matanza Partido, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The city is the second-largest by area in the county (52 km²), and the second most-populous. The city is located near the southwestern end of the Gr ...

(km 32),

Virrey del Pino Virrey del Pino is a city in La Matanza Partido, in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina. With a total of 117 km², it is the most extensive city in the La Matanza Partido. It is crossed by the RN 3 between kilometers 34 and 48. In this ...

(km 38). *

Marcos Paz Partido Marcos Paz is a ''partido'' in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires. Its capital city is Marcos Paz. Established on 25 October 1878 (provincial law 1244), Marcos Paz is at the eastern border of Greater Buenos Aires with the rest of the provinc ...

: no towns over 5,000 people. *

Cañuelas Partido Cañuelas Partido is a partido of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. It has a population of 42,575 in an area of , and its administrative centre is Cañuelas, which has a population of around 24,380. Sports Cañuelas is home to Cañuelas FC, ...

: Cañuelas (km 63-66). *

Monte Partido Monte Partido (also known as ''San Miguel del Monte'') is a partido in the eastern part of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 17,500 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Monte ...

San Miguel del Monte San Miguel del Monte (also known as Monte) is a town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the county seat of Monte Partido Monte Partido (also known as ''San Miguel del Monte'') is a partido in the eastern part of Buenos Aires Province i ...

(km 109-112) *

General Belgrano Partido General Belgrano Partido is a Partidos of Buenos Aires, partido east of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 16,000 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is General Belgrano, Buenos A ...

: no towns over 5,000 people. *

Las Flores Partido Las Flores Partido is a partido of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 23,000 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Las Flores, which is from Buenos Aires. It is connected to ...

: Las Flores (km 187). *

Azul Partido Azul is a central Partidos of Buenos Aires, partido of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of 62,996 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Azul, Buenos Aires, Azul, which is around from B ...

Azul Azul, meaning "blue" in Spanish and Portuguese, may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Azul'' (Los Piojos album), 1998 * ''Azul'' (Cristian Castro album), 2001 * Azul Azul, a Bolivian pop-dance music group ** "Azul" (song), the title song * " ...

(km 299). *

Benito Juárez Partido Benito Juárez is a partido ( second level administrative subdivision) in the south-central part of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of 20,402 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Be ...

Benito Juárez Benito Pablo Juárez García (; 21 March 1806 – 18 July 1872) was a Liberalism in Mexico, Mexican liberal politician and lawyer who served as the 26th president of Mexico from 1858 until his death in office in 1872. As a Zapotec peoples, Zapo ...

(km 399-401). * Adolfo Gonzales Chaves Partido:

Adolfo Gonzales Chaves Adolfo Gonzales Chaves is a town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Adolfo Gonzales Chaves Partido. History * 1886 The opening of the Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway line between Tandil and Tres Arroyos saw th ...

(km 450). *

Tres Arroyos Partido The partido of Tres Arroyos is a subdivision of the Province of Buenos Aires in Argentina. On the Atlantic coast of the province, it was created in 1882 by the provincial government when they divided the territory of Tres Arroyos into the partido ...

Tres Arroyos Tres Arroyos is a city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the administrative seat of Tres Arroyos Partido. The city has a sizable population of Danish and Dutch descent. Tres Arroyos is served by Tres Arroyos Airport. Climate Tres Ar ...

(km 491-496). *

Coronel Dorrego Partido Coronel Dorrego Partido is a partido on the southern coast of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 16,500 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Coronel Dorrego, which is around ...

: Coronel Dorrego (km 593). *

Coronel Rosales Partido Coronel Rosales Partido is a partido on the southern coast of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 61,000 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Punta Alta, which is around from B ...

: no towns over 5,000 people. *

Bahía Blanca Partido The Partido de Bahía Blanca is a partido of the Buenos Aires Province is located at the south-west of the province in central Argentina at coordinates The provincial subdivision holds a population of 284,776 inhabitants in an area of , and it ...

: access to

Port of Ingeniero White A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

(km 677) over National Route 252,

Bahía Blanca Bahía Blanca (; English: White Bay) is a city in the southwest of the provinces of Argentina, province of Buenos Aires Province, Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and is the seat of government of the Bahía Blanca Partido. It had 3 ...

(km 681-695), access to General Daniel Cerri (km 698). *

Villarino Partido Villarino Partido is a partido in the south of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 26,500 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Médanos, which is located from Buenos Aires an ...

: no towns over 5,000 people. * Patagones Partido:

Carmen de Patagones Carmen de Patagones is the southernmost city in the . Geography It is located 937 km southwest from the city of Buenos Aires, on the north bank of the Río Negro ("Black River"), near the Atlantic Ocean, and opposite Viedma, capital of ...

(km 962).

Río Negro Province

Length: (km 963-1304) *

Adolfo Alsina Department Adolfo Alsina Department is a department of Río Negro Province, Argentina. It is named in honor of the 2nd Vice President of Argentina, Adolfo Alsina Adolfo Alsina Maza (January 4, 1829 – December 29, 1877) was an Argentine lawyer and ...

: Viedma (km 966). * San Antonio Department: access to

San Antonio Oeste San Antonio Oeste is a port city in the Argentine province of Río Negro, and head of the department of San Antonio. The town is bordered by its sister communities of San Antonio Este, to the east, and Las Grutas, to the southwest. Discovered by ...

(km 1139) and

Sierra Grande Sierra Grande is an extinct stratovolcano in northeastern New Mexico that rises 2,200 feet above the surrounding plain. It is part of the inactive Raton-Clayton volcanic field. Geography On a clear day, Sierra Grande can be seen from as far aw ...

(km 1265).

Chubut Province

Length: (km 1304-km 1856) * Biedma Department: access to

Puerto Madryn Puerto Madryn (; cy, Porth Madryn), also known as ''Madryn'', is a city in the province of Chubut in Argentine Patagonia. It is the capital of the Viedma Department, and has about 93,995 inhabitants according to the last census in 2010. Puer ...

(km 1394). * Rawson Department:

Trelew Trelew (, from cy, tref "town" and the name of the founder, Lewis Jones) is a city in the eastern part of the Chubut Province of Argentina. Located in Patagonia, the city is the largest and most populous in the low valley of the Chubut River, wit ...

(km 1451) and access to

Rawson Rawson may refer to: Places *Rawson, Chubut, the capital of Chubut Province, Argentina *Rawson Department, Chubut, Argentina *Rawson Department, San Juan, Argentina **Villa Krause, also named Rawson, the capital city of the department * Rawson, Vic ...

(km 1456). *

Gaiman Department Gaiman Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 9,612 inhabitants in an area of 11,076 km², and its capital city is Gaiman, which is located around 1,398 km from the Capit ...

: no towns over 5,000 people. *

Florentino Ameghino Department Florentino Ameghino is a department of Chubut Province, it is located on the Atlantic coast of Argentina The provincial subdivision has a population of about 1,484 inhabitants in an area of 16,088 km², and its capital city is Camarones, ...

: no towns over 5,000 people. *

Escalante Department Escalante Department is a department of Chubut Province in Argentina. The provincial subdivision has a population of about 143,000 inhabitants in an area of 14,015 km², and its capital city is Comodoro Rivadavia. The department is named ...

Comodoro Rivadavia Comodoro Rivadavia () is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San ...

(km 1831-1838) and

Rada Tilly Rada Tilly is a town in Escalante Department, Chubut Province (Patagonia), Argentina. The town is between Punta Piedras hill to the north and Punta del Marqués to the south. Punta del Marqués, a geographical landmark on San Jorge Gulf, reaches ...

(km 1843).

Santa Cruz Province

Length: (km 1856-km 2674) *

Deseado Department Deseado Department is a department in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It has a population of 72,953 (2001) and an area of 63,784 km². The seat of the department is in Puerto Deseado. Municipalities * Caleta Olivia * Cañadón Seco * Fitz Roy ...

Caleta Olivia Caleta Olivia is a city located at the northeast of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, on the San Jorge Gulf by the Atlantic Ocean. It had a population of 70,304 in the . It is the second most important city of the province after Rio Gallegos, ...

(km 1908-1911). *

Magallanes Department Magallanes Department is a department in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It has a population of 6,536 (2001) and an area of 19,805 km². The seat of the department is in Puerto San Julián. Municipalities * Puerto San Julián References ...

: access to

Puerto San Julián Puerto San Julián, also known historically as Port St. Julian, is a natural harbour in Patagonia in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina located at . In the days of sailing ships it formed a stopping point, south of Puerto Deseado (''Port Desir ...

(km 2252). *

Corpen Aike Department Corpen Aike Department is a department in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It has a population of 7,942 (2001) and an area of 26,350 km². The seat of the department is in Puerto Santa Cruz. Municipalities * Comandante Luis Piedrabuena * P ...

: ''

'' (km 2372). *

Güer Aike Department Güer Aike Department is a department in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It has a population of 113,267 and an area of 33,841 km². The seat of the department is in Río Gallegos which also has the majority of the population with 97,742. Ve ...

Río Gallegos Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

(km 2607-2609).

Tierra del Fuego Province

Length: (km 2696-km 3059). *

Río Grande Department Río Grande Department ( es, Departamento Río Grande) is a department of Argentina in Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina. The capital city of the department is situated in Río Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the R ...

: access to San Sebastián (Chile) (km 2740),

Río Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

(km 2818) and ''

Tolhuin Tolhuin is a town in the province of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. It has 2,949 inhabitants as per the . It is located on the eastern shore of Lake Fagnano, in the southern part of the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego. It is the third largest settlem ...

'' (km 2934). *

Ushuaia Department Ushuaia Department ( es, Departamento Ushuaia) is a department of Argentina in Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina. The capital city of the department is situated in Ushuaia. Off the eastern end of the main island is Isla de los Estados Is ...

Ushuaia Ushuaia ( , ) is the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina. With a population of nearly 75,000 and a location below the 54th parallel south latitude, Ushuaia claims the title of world's southern ...

(km 3036-3041).

Tolls

In 1990 administration and maintenance of the most travelled roads was given to private companies with rights to collect tolls dividing the areas in "Corredores Viales" ("road corridors"). "Servicios de Mantenimiento de Carreteras" (Semacar) company, took charge of Corridor number 1, which includes Route 3 between km markers 19 and 677, in Buenos Aires Province, from the joining with Provincial Route 4 in San Justo to

, with tolls collected in Cañuelas (km marker 78),

(km marker 263) and

(km marker 523)., In 2003 the concession contracts expired, which led to a modification of corridor numbers and a call for a new public bid. Corridor Vial number 1 is now given to "Empresa Rutas al Sur" and runs from km marker 62 to 677 which corresponds to the crossing of Provincial Route 6 in Cañuelas until it joins National Route 252 in Grünbein.Corredores Viales Nacionales - OCCOVI

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Route 003 (Argentina) National roads in Buenos Aires Province National roads in Río Negro Province National roads in Chubut Province National roads in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina National roads in Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina Tourism in Argentina