• Location: AP71 Motorway (León, Spain) SEE MAP
• Scope of Works: Construction Detailed Design
• Client: DRAGADOS, S.A.
• Date of project: 2000
• Opening date: 2002
• Main features: Detailed Design of 53 structures
• Length of the section: 38 km

The AP-71 or León – Astorga Motorway, is a toll motorway in the province of Leon. The total length of the toll section is 38 km; it goes from exit nº143 of the Motorway A-66 to exit nº323 of the Motorway A-6. There are 6 intersections on the AP-71.

The toll motorway was opened to the traffic in October 2002; the concessionaire is AULESA, which belongs to the Spanish toll motorway group Abertis.

This motorway provides Leon with a high capacity route to Galicia, facilitating access to the Cantabrian coast. It is useful primarily because of the regional connection between Leon, Astorga and Ponferrada, improving the territorial structure of the province of Leon.

The operation of the AP-71 Motorway requires special attention from the winter maintenance services perspective to enable the traffic to be fluid in situations of adverse weather.

TORROJA INGENIERIA S.L. did the detailed design projects of all the structures of the motorway. There were 4 viaducts, 22 overpasses, 20 underpasses and 7 structures away from the main carriageways of the motorway.

The viaducts were made using precast prestressed concrete girders. The beams were U sections or double T beams.

The overpasses were continuous prestressed concrete voided slabs. They were usually 2 or 4 span bridges.

The underpasses were also made of precast prestressed concrete beams or sometimes they were typical box or frame culverts.