Autovía A-22
Encyclopedia
Autovía A-22 or Autovía Huesca-Lleida is an upgrade of a section of the existing N-240 Spanish
road, managed by the Spanish Government, between Huesca
, the second largest city in Aragón
and Lleida
, a provincial capital in Catalonia
. The route is currently under construction with most sections now open to traffic.
The A-22 runs mainly in parallel to the existing N-240 road except for certain specific stretches such as the Monzón
bypass which opened in 2008, and the Barbastro
bypass where alternative routes have been employed. The construction has been divided into the following sectors, Huesca
-Siétamo, Siétamo-Velillas, Velillas-Ponzano, Ponzano-El Pueyo, Barbastro
Bypass, Monzón
Bypass, Binéfar Bypass , Binéfar Bypass-Aragón
/Catalonia
border, Aragón
/Catalonia
border-Almacelles Bypass, Almacelles Bypass-La Cerdera, La Cerdera-Junction with A-2 Motorway at the edge of Lleida
[1].
By the summer of 2010 more than half of the A-22 was operational as a four-lane highway comprising 6 of the above sectors. However, in July 2010 a cessation of work due to governmental financial difficulties was announced, despite the Binefar Bypass section being 80% complete. This decision provoked much controversy with local government officials calling for the work to be resumed, citing the dangers associated with the current unfinished road layout [2]. Fortunately work was restarted and by October 2011 all but two sectors were fully open. The two remaining sectors to be completed are the Almacelles Bypass (up to the Catalonia / Aragon border), which is at an advanced stage of construction and expected to open in early 2012 and the Huesca - Sietamo sector which is not currently under construction. Once the 9.8km Almacelles Bypass sector is completed the A-22 will run for an uninterrupted length of around 99km but the schedule for completing the last 13km to Huesca is unclear.
When open in full the A-22 will provide far more satisfactory communication between Huesca and Lleida and intermediate towns than previously offered by the N-240 , but also a direct four-lane highway connection between Huesca
and Barcelona
, a journey which previously required a long and time consuming diversion via Zaragoza
if motorway standard roads were used. The A-22 will provide access to existing highways serving Jaca
(Aragón
) and Pamplona
(Navarra) which are also undergoing the process of upgrading.
The improvements in road communication between Lleida
and the province of Huesca
are occurring in parallel to developments on the railways in the Lleida area, where a new network of commuter trains (Cercanias
) is under consideration. This may include a regular commuter service connecting Lleida
, Almacelles
, Binéfar
, Monzón
[3] - all of which are communities served by the N-240 and A-22.
List of major towns connected by the existing N-240 and the A-22, includes Lleida
, Almacelles
, Binéfar
, Monzón
, Barbastro
and Huesca
.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
road, managed by the Spanish Government, between Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
, the second largest city in Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
and Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
, a provincial capital in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. The route is currently under construction with most sections now open to traffic.
The A-22 runs mainly in parallel to the existing N-240 road except for certain specific stretches such as the Monzón
Monzón
Monzón is a small town in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It has a population of 17,050. It is located in the northeast and adjoins the rivers Cinca and Sosa.-Historical overview:...
bypass which opened in 2008, and the Barbastro
Barbastro
Barbastro is a city in the Somontano county, province of Huesca, Spain...
bypass where alternative routes have been employed. The construction has been divided into the following sectors, Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
-Siétamo, Siétamo-Velillas, Velillas-Ponzano, Ponzano-El Pueyo, Barbastro
Barbastro
Barbastro is a city in the Somontano county, province of Huesca, Spain...
Bypass, Monzón
Monzón
Monzón is a small town in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It has a population of 17,050. It is located in the northeast and adjoins the rivers Cinca and Sosa.-Historical overview:...
Bypass, Binéfar Bypass , Binéfar Bypass-Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
/Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
border, Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
/Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
border-Almacelles Bypass, Almacelles Bypass-La Cerdera, La Cerdera-Junction with A-2 Motorway at the edge of Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
[1].
By the summer of 2010 more than half of the A-22 was operational as a four-lane highway comprising 6 of the above sectors. However, in July 2010 a cessation of work due to governmental financial difficulties was announced, despite the Binefar Bypass section being 80% complete. This decision provoked much controversy with local government officials calling for the work to be resumed, citing the dangers associated with the current unfinished road layout [2]. Fortunately work was restarted and by October 2011 all but two sectors were fully open. The two remaining sectors to be completed are the Almacelles Bypass (up to the Catalonia / Aragon border), which is at an advanced stage of construction and expected to open in early 2012 and the Huesca - Sietamo sector which is not currently under construction. Once the 9.8km Almacelles Bypass sector is completed the A-22 will run for an uninterrupted length of around 99km but the schedule for completing the last 13km to Huesca is unclear.
When open in full the A-22 will provide far more satisfactory communication between Huesca and Lleida and intermediate towns than previously offered by the N-240 , but also a direct four-lane highway connection between Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, a journey which previously required a long and time consuming diversion via Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
if motorway standard roads were used. The A-22 will provide access to existing highways serving Jaca
Jaca
Jaca is a city of northeastern Spain near the border with France, in the midst of the Pyrenees in the province of Huesca...
(Aragón
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
) and Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
(Navarra) which are also undergoing the process of upgrading.
The improvements in road communication between Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
and the province of Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
are occurring in parallel to developments on the railways in the Lleida area, where a new network of commuter trains (Cercanias
Cercanías
Cercanías is the name given to the commuter rail systems of Spain's major metropolitan areas. In Catalonia and Valencia, however, the term is replaced by Rodalies , while the designation Aldirikoak is used in the Basque Country....
) is under consideration. This may include a regular commuter service connecting Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
, Almacelles
Almacelles
Almacelles is a town in the comarca of Segrià, in Catalonia, Spain. Population: 5.623 ....
, Binéfar
Binéfar
Binéfar or Binèfar is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2008 census , the municipality has a population of 9,288 inhabitants....
, Monzón
Monzón
Monzón is a small town in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It has a population of 17,050. It is located in the northeast and adjoins the rivers Cinca and Sosa.-Historical overview:...
[3] - all of which are communities served by the N-240 and A-22.
List of major towns connected by the existing N-240 and the A-22, includes Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
, Almacelles
Almacelles
Almacelles is a town in the comarca of Segrià, in Catalonia, Spain. Population: 5.623 ....
, Binéfar
Binéfar
Binéfar or Binèfar is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2008 census , the municipality has a population of 9,288 inhabitants....
, Monzón
Monzón
Monzón is a small town in the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It has a population of 17,050. It is located in the northeast and adjoins the rivers Cinca and Sosa.-Historical overview:...
, Barbastro
Barbastro
Barbastro is a city in the Somontano county, province of Huesca, Spain...
and Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
.