The autonomous community of Aragon is establishing itself as a benchmark in road financing thanks to the concession model being used to implement its own Extraordinary Road Plan (PEC).  

This was confirmed during the second “Conference on Public-Private Partnership as a Comprehensive Road Network Management Model,” held in Zaragoza on 27 and 28 November.  

The event was organised by the Spanish Road Association (AEC), promoted by the Government of Aragon, and supported by the Association of Public Works Contractors of Aragon. 

Complement to budgetary financing 

More than 250 participants – including concession companies, public officials, sector professionals, and infrastructure experts from across the country – analysed the scope of public-private collaboration as a complement to budgetary financing to ensure proper road maintenance. 

Daniel Culubret, Sorigué’s Director of Concessions, took part in the concessionaires’ panel and shared the group’s experience as the operator of the Zaragoza central route, which comprises 170 kilometres of interurban roads surrounding the city.

“These conferences made it clear that the public-private financing model allows infrastructure investments to remain active without neglecting the budgets that regional governments need for social issues such as education or healthcare,” Culubret stated.

The PEC as a pioneering project 

In Aragon’s specific case, the Extraordinary Road Plan (PEC) is designed as a 25-year project with a budget of €630 million for construction works and €2.6 billion for maintenance; execution has already reached 50% of the total planned. 

The PEC includes the complete renewal of 1,760 kilometres across 51 regional roads and the construction of six new bypasses – all under a concession model that is attracting interest from other regional governments considering its future implementation in their own territories. 

“Public-private partnership delivers efficiency, appropriate risk transfer, incentives for innovation, improved service quality, and intergenerational fairness,” noted AEC President Juan Francisco Lazcano.

According to the association’s estimates, Spain’s road network faces a maintenance deficit exceeding €13 billion, so another topic discussed at the conference was the “pay-per-use” format.

“This system is already implemented in almost all of Europe and the debate is open. Should we adopt it for Spanish roads? If we move in that direction, road users would pay for infrastructure use and contribute directly to its maintenance,” explained Sorigué’s Director of Concessions.