Spanish Road Network History and Infrastructure Development

Spanish Terrestrial Transport: Road and Railway Networks

The Spanish Road Network

Road transport is the most important mode of transport today, as the network of roads exerts the greatest influence on the organization of the territory.

Historical Evolution

It has its roots in the multitude of paths formed through the centuries; the most prominent were the Roman roads and the networks drawn by Muslims and Christians during the Middle Ages.

It was not until the seventeenth century, when Spanish roads began to constitute a national network under the impetus of the Enlightenment and Bourbon reformism, that the construction of the radial network was undertaken. This linked Madrid with the main coastal ports, forming the base of the current road map.

In the first third of the twentieth century, the Special Pavement Plan was undertaken, which sought a general improvement of the road network to adapt to new conditions and modern transport vehicles.

By 1960, roads faced great scarcities, shortages, and insufficiencies in adaptation to the new economic reality. The REDIA Plan (Asphalt Trails Network) was undertaken. This plan included, inter alia, extending the width of the roadway, improving the paving and marking, and the provision of sidewalks on the main Spanish routes. They focused on six main areas that form the radial support model.

In 1967, the Highway Plan was also approved, which projected a toll highway system that was never fully completed.

The Infrastructure Plan (1992-2007) aimed to ensure international connections with France and Portugal, reduce congestion on the radial roads, and promote interregional communication by building highways and peripheral roads, mitigating the adverse impacts of the radial layout inherited from earlier times.

Current Situation

Road transport has experienced growth that has paralleled the increased vehicle fleet and spatial mobility of Spanish society. This is a consequence of the development model which enshrined the car for passenger transport and diverted freight from rail to the road.

The jurisdiction over the road network is divided between the State, the Autonomous Communities, and the Provincial or Island Councils:

• The core state network: Managed by the central government, ensuring inter-regional communication among the major population centers of the country.
• The regional network: This is the largest network in terms of extension.
• Local and county networks: These are run by the Provincial or Island Councils.

In 2005, the Strategic Plan for Infrastructure and Transport (PEIT) was adopted. It was developed in cooperation with the different administrations and contains a Europe-wide approach.