More than 52% of Spanish roads show “serious or very serious deterioration,” according to the latest report from the Spanish Road Association (AEC). Specifically, 33,966 kilometers require urgent repair within less than a year, while another 20,407 kilometers need intervention in the next four years. This means that 54,000 out of the 101,700 kilometers that make up the entire state and regional network are in poor condition. According to the report, 13,491 million euros would be needed to improve the conservation status of Spanish roads. This figure has almost doubled since the last report in 2022, due to both the increase in material, energy, and labor prices, and the worsening deterioration of the infrastructures themselves.
For the first time in its forty-year history, the AEC used cars with high-resolution cameras to conduct the study, reviewing 4,000 kilometers of road. All information was analyzed by an AI under human supervision, which multiplied the analyzed sample tenfold compared to previous years.
Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, and Galicia Lead the Deterioration
The territorial analysis included in the report shows remarkable differences between the autonomous communities. Aragon tops the negative list, as 68% of its road network is in a “serious or very serious” condition. It is the only region in critical condition, marked in black. It is followed by Castilla-La Mancha and Galicia in the red, where 59% of roads require urgent or short-term intervention. Other communities with a high percentage of deterioration include Castilla y León, La Rioja, and Asturias, all above 45%. On the other hand, the Region of Valencia is considered the region with the best-preserved roads, followed by the Community of Madrid, Extremadura, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra, Andalusia, and Catalonia, which show the lowest percentage of serious deterioration.
Economic and Social Impact of Road Deterioration
Juan Francisco Lazcano, president of the Association, stated that “the situation not only affects road safety but also has direct economic consequences for citizens.” He explained that driving on a road in poor condition can increase fuel consumption by up to 12%. He estimated that in July and August alone, the poor condition of the roads will cost Spanish drivers more than 270 million euros in additional fuel costs.
The AEC Proposes Solutions
The AEC calls for the urgent creation of a special fund for road maintenance, which “should be financed from the general budgets of the State and the Autonomous Communities, European funds, user fee systems, and public-private cooperation strategies.”
