Autopista AP-68
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|---|---|
| Route information | |
Part of  | |
| Length: | 272 km (169 mi) |
| Restrictions: |
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| Major junctions | |
| From: | Zaragosa |
| To: | Bilbao |
| Highway system | |
| Autopistas and autovías in Spain | |
The Autopista AP-68 (also AP-68, Autopista Vasco-Aragonesa or Autopista del Ebro)[1] is a Spanish autopista route. It connects Zaragoza with Bilbao via Tudela, Calahorra and Logroño.
It has junctions with Autovía A-2, Autovía A-15, Autovía A-1 and ends at the Autovía A-8.
The highway begins in link 22 of the AP-8 (E-70) and ends on link 318 of the A-2 (E-90) (Autovía del Nordeste). Built between 1974 and 1979 this highway was formerly known as A-68. It is about 295 km long.
Concession expiry
In 2000, the José María Aznar government, the PP, extended the highway concession that expired in 2011 up to 2026,[2] making its recovery impossible, as it was strongly criticized by the Aragon regions and the Basque Country, then governed by PSOE-Aragon and PNV, respectively. In exchange for the extension of the concession, certain tolls became cheaper. The closing date of the award is November 10, 2026.[3]
Subsidized tolls
The highway concessionaire has signed agreements with the Government of La Rioja and the Regional Government of Aragón to enable certain routes free of charge, provided the VIA-T device is used.
For journeys between the Cenicero (10) links and Agoncillo (13), inclusive, and intermediate, tolls are free for users of VIA-T.
Since February 1, 2008, light vehicles that perform return trips within a 24-hour period on any route between the Haro (9) links and Alfaro (16), inclusive, and intermediate, tolls are free for users of VIA-T. Until that date only the toll for the return trip was free, under the same conditions.
Since February 1, 2009, if a return trip is made between the Gallur (19) and Zaragoza (23) links in a 24 hour period, light vehicles are free where the same route is taken for the outward and return journey and the same VIA-T device is used.
In the Basque section a social toll is applied, only to citizens registered in Álava, with discounts for those taking more than 25 trips per month.
In Navarre the construction of the A-68 autovía has been accelerated, running mostly parallel to the highway, and its Navarre section is now mostly complete.
AP-68 exits
| Name of exit | Name of exit | Link roads |
|---|---|---|
 | Bilbao | E-70 A-8 |
 1 | Arrigorriaga | BI-625 |
    | Arrigorriaga service area | |
| 2 | Llodio-Areta | BI-625 |
| | Toll | |
| 3 | Llodio-Orozco | A-625 |
 | Álava / Vizcaya |  |
| 4 | Amurrio-Ziorraga | A-624 |
 5  | Altube Vitoria-Pamplona | N-622 |
| 6 | Subijana Pobes-Nanclares | |
| 7 | Vitoria Madrid-Burgos | E-5 E-80 A-1 AP-1 |
| 8 | Miranda de Ebro-Zambrana | N-124 |
 | La Rioja LA RIOJA / Álava PAÍS VASCO | |
| 9 | Haro-Casalarreina | N-126 |
| 10 | Cenicero-Nájera | LR-113 |
| 11 | Logroño west Navarrete-Fuenmayor | A-12 LR-137 |
| 12 | Logroño-Soria | N-111 LO-20 |
| 13 | Logroño east-El Sequero Agoncillo-Aeropuerto | N-232 LO-20 |
 | COMUNIDAD FORAL DE NAVARRA / La Rioja LA RIOJA | |
| 14 | Lodosa-Pradejón (this link is only active from Lodosa-Zaragoza and vice versa) | NA-123 LR-123 |
| | La Rioja LA RIOJA / COMUNIDAD FORAL DE NAVARRA | |
| 15 | Calahorra-Arnedo | LR-134 |
| | COMUNIDAD FORAL DE NAVARRA / La Rioja LA RIOJA | |
| 16 | Corella-Alfaro | NA-6920 LR-287 |
| 17 | Pamplona | AP-15 |
| 18 | Tudela Tarazona | A-68 N-121 |
 | Provincia de Zaragoza ARAGÓN / COMUNIDAD FORAL DE NAVARRA | |
| 19 | Borja Gallur | N-122 A-127 |
| 20 | Alagón-Figueruelas | A-68 |
| | Toll | |
| 22 | Alagón | A-126 |
 | Continues to Zaragoza via A-68 | A-68 |
References
- ↑ "A-68 / AP-68 (Autovía / Autopista del Ebro y Autopista Vasco-Aragonesa)". Retrieved 6 June 2013.
- ↑ BOE 10-2-2000 "Article 2. Article 6 of the Royal Decree 3048/1982, of 12 November, reads as follows:" (in Spanish).
"El período concesional, señalado en el artículo dieciséis del Decreto 2802/1973, de 2 de noviembre, de adjudicación de la concesión, se establece en cincuenta y tres años, contados a partir de la fecha de publicación del referido Decreto. (The concessional period, indicated by article 16 of decree 2802/1973 on 2 November, in the concessional adjudication, is established for 53 years from the date of publication of said Decree)
" - ↑ BOE 1-9-2007 "... Dicha gratuidad está previsto sea de aplicación desde el 1 de septiembre de 2007 hasta el final del plazo de concesión, el 10 de noviembre de 2026." (in Spanish).
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