Casablanca-Rabat expressway

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The Casablanca-Rabat expressway, designated A3, was the first expressway to be built in Morocco, with construction starting in the 1970s. It was only completed in 1986 after a 7 year halt.

It was originally free of charge, but a toll station was erected at Bouznika in 1993 as part of a new strategy in Moroccan expressway construction. Traffic between Casablanca and Mohammedia west, as well as from Rabat to Aïn Atiq travel free of charge.

The route starts at the Aïn Harrouda interchange, and then joins the A5 Casablanca bypass at the junction just before the west Mohammedia interchange. It continues past the east interchange serving Mohammedia before reaching the toll station at Bouznika. After passing Skhirat and Aïn Atiq the road reaches Temara on the outskirts of Rabat. Traffic going to Fes and Tangier then exit at Hay Riad to converge onto the non-expressway Rabat bypass. The motorway regulations end just before the entrance to the city at the Prince Moulay Abdellah sports complex.

Originally the motorway regulations also applied to the section west of Aïn Harrouda, through the Casablanca metropolitan area as far as Hay Hassani. These were removed in 1995 an 80 km/h speed limit was imposed on this section.