N-622 road (Álava)

Autovía N-622 shield}}
Autovía N-622
Map
Route information
Length19.35 km[1] (12.02 mi)
Existed1978–present
Major junctions
FromVitoria-Gasteiz
ToAltube [es]
Location
CountrySpain
Autonomous
community		Basque Country
ProvinceÁlava
Highway system

The N-622 (known unofficially as the Autovía de Altube[2]) is a road in Álava, Basque Country, Spain. It links Vitoria-Gasteiz with the Autopista AP-68 at Altube [es]. Together with the AP-68 motorway, it constitutes the most important road link between Bilbao and Vitoria-Gasteiz.[3] The whole road is a dual carriageway, with parts of it classified as autovía.

History

The road opened gradually in 1978 after more than two years of works. The Murgia bypass was opened in mid-June, followed a few weeks later by the stretch from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Arangiz.[4] The Letona-Zarate stretch was opened partially (only one of the carriageways) on 22 August, while the Arangiz-Zarate stretch followed in early September.[5] On 14 October the last remaining section of the road was inaugurated, with the opening of the second Aiurdin tunnel.[6]

On 3 June 2009, the interchange with the new AP-1 motorway at Etxabarri Ibiña opened.[7] Traffic from the AP-1 towards the A-1 motorway uses the N-622 from Etxabarri Ibiña to the cloverleaf interchange with the A-1 near Vitoria-Gasteiz. As a result, that stretch suffers from recurrent traffic jams, particularly in the summer.[8] In 2022, a study to improve the traffic flow in the area was announced.[9]

References

  1. ^ Deloitte (19 May 2020). Tercer Plan General de Carreteras del País Vasco 2017-2028 (PDF) (Report). Basque Government. p. 73. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  2. ^ "La Diputación de Álava invertirá 1,1 millones de euros en una pantalla acústica en la N-622 a la altura de Ametzaga". Europa Press (in Spanish). 26 April 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  3. ^ "El precoz temporal causa dos muertos y colapsa el tráfico". El País (in Spanish). 10 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Apertura del tramo Vitoria-Aránguiz de la Autovía de Altube". El Correo (in Spanish). 23 June 1978. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  5. ^ "A primeros de septiembre quedará abierta toda la autovía de Altube". El Correo (in Spanish). 23 August 1978. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Esta tarde quedará abierto al tráfico el segundo túnel de Ayurdin". El Correo (in Spanish). 14 October 1978. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  7. ^ Llorente, Adolfo (4 June 2008). "Álava estrena la Vitoria-Eibar y la Diputación abre de forma provisional y sin peaje el tramo de 6,2 kilómetros entre Echávarri-Viña y Luko para descongestionar parte del tráfico del norte de la capital". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  8. ^ Eguía, Sergio (31 July 2015). "Una jornada de retenciones en el embudo entre la AP-1, la N-622 y la A-1". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  9. ^ Armentia, Iker (31 August 2022). "Álava encargará en 2023 los estudios previos para resolver las retenciones en el 'trebol' de la A-1 y la N-622". Cadena SER (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 December 2022.