A 31-kilometre stretch of the A-11 motorway between Tudela de Duero and Valbuena de Duero has become the latest flashpoint between Spain’s Ministry of Transport and authorities in Castilla y León, including the Valladolid provincial council. The new section is ready for traffic, but local authorities have refused to authorise its use, citing road-safety concerns and the impact on smaller local routes.
The Ministry, led by Óscar Puente, argues that the new motorway segment could significantly reduce accidents on the notoriously dangerous N-122, a national road with a long history of fatalities and delays. Transportes says the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has issued a favourable report supporting a partial opening, provided additional safety measures are implemented on affected local roads. Those measures would cover the VP-3301 and VA-101, as well as the crossing through Pesquera de Duero.
The Junta de Castilla y León and the Diputación de Valladolid, both controlled by the Partido Popular, have pushed back. They warn that diverting traffic onto unfinished sections and minor roads could overwhelm local infrastructure, particularly while the final bridge over the Duero River remains under construction. The Junta estimates that daily vehicle numbers on the VA-101 could nearly triple, with a sharp rise in heavy lorries. That prospect raises concerns about road wear and risks for people on foot or bicycle, as well as agricultural vehicles.
The Ministry has proposed measures to limit the impact, including new signage and intelligent traffic lights, with pedestrian crossings to be reinforced in Pesquera and Peñafiel. Officials say these steps would keep long-distance heavy traffic on the N-122 and protect vulnerable road users in affected towns. The Junta maintains that the project is incomplete and that the proposal would shift accident risks from the national road to local routes instead of resolving them.
On Wednesday, both sides met to discuss alternatives, but reached no agreement. The Junta’s Mobility Department released a statement highlighting the lack of official information about the opening date and technical conditions for the new motorway section. The Ministry, in turn, accused regional authorities of political obstruction, arguing that their refusal to cooperate is driven by electoral calculations rather than public interest.
This standoff is part of a broader pattern in Spain’s transport sector. Regional disputes over infrastructure and funding have become increasingly common, as when Catalonia and Galicia challenged Madrid’s approach to public transport card funding, a situation detailed in a recent report on regional resistance to national transport initiatives.
Later reporting by El Norte de Castilla shows how incomplete connections have limited the A-11’s practical use even after further sections opened. The newspaper described a 56-kilometre stretch that still lacked a functioning link at Tudela de Duero and a bridge towards Quintanilla, leaving the corridor without continuous motorway access. It called the route a “ghost motorway” and reported that it mainly served nearby municipalities, rather than providing a complete long-distance alternative to the N-122.
Those later traffic observations also add context to the dispute over the impact on local roads. In one measurement involving local drivers, the motorway carried about 21 vehicles an hour, while traffic on the road between Pesquera and Peñafiel rose by nearly 300 vehicles a day after the A-11 opened. The figures show an uneven effect: traffic increased on a regional road, but the motorway section itself remained lightly used. Reporting also described drivers at Tudela being routed via a roundabout and service road instead of a direct motorway connection. A planned large roundabout was intended to improve continuity, while inadequate signage added to access difficulties.
The A-11, also known as the Autovía del Duero, is a strategic corridor linking Portugal and Aragón, but its completion has been repeatedly delayed. The N-122, which the new motorway is meant to replace, remains one of Spain’s most hazardous roads, with over 600 deaths in the past three decades and six fatalities recorded in 2026 alone. The Ministry says opening the finished section could save lives, while the regional government insists that local communities’ safety must come first. For now, the impasse leaves drivers and residents facing continued risks and uncertainty along the Duero corridor.
Spain’s regional infrastructure disputes often reflect deeper tensions between central and local authorities over authority and resources, as well as competing project priorities. The outcome of this conflict may influence future negotiations on major transport projects, particularly where local roads intersect with national corridors. As the debate continues, coordination between levels of government and clear communication remain impressive for public safety and mobility.
