National Route 9 (in Spanish, Ruta Nacional 9) is a major road in Argentina, which runs from the center-east to the northwest of the country, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy. It starts on Avenida General Paz, which marks the border between the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and the surrounding province of the same name, and ends at the Horacio Guzmán International Bridge, on the La Quiaca River, traversing . The road is a limited access motorway from Buenos Aires to Rosario.
Between the cities of San Nicolás de los Arroyos and Rosario (distant about from each other), the road is named Teniente General Juan José Valle.
History
Beginnings
The route originated as the "Camino Real del Perú" (Royal Road of Peru), used since colonial times to travel from Buenos Aires, through Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, San Miguel de Tucumán, Salta, San Salvador de Jujuy, and Potosí, continuing to Perú. The section between Buenos Aires and the south of what it is today Cordoba Province, was shared with the "Camino Real del Oeste" (Royal Road of the West) which branched towards San Luis, Mendoza and Santiago (Chile). The road had a system of small inns and establishments every 30–50 km where travellers could rest.
After the coming of the railroad, in the second half of the 19th Century, this road lost relevance, as the railroad provided faster service on any type of weather. The first train from Buenos Aires arrived in the town of La Quiaca in Argentina's northern border with Bolivia on 30 December 1907.
With the advent of the automobile, the Federal Government decided to build roads throughout the Republic. In 1936 the road from Buenos Aires to La Quiaca was named Ruta Nacional 9 (National Route 9). In 1943 the road was open to traffic in its full length, even though most of it was unpaved.
The road started competing against the railroad, taking passengers and cargo. The last passenger train to La Quiaca arrived in December 1993, and the last cargo train in July 1994.
Pavement
The Buenos Aires to Rosario section was paved by 27 December 1936. The work reached Córdoba on 5 June 1937. It should be mentioned that National Route 9 had a different layout in those days, as the road traversed through Pilar to Pergamino on the roadbed of today's National Route 8 and then it turned north going to Rosario.
The road between Congress Square (Plaza Congreso) in Buenos Aires and San Martín Square in Córdoba was long, with 42 bridges, 1,412 sewer covers and 17 level crossings, with a cost of 41,000,000 pesos moneda nacional, equivalent to 12,000,000 US dollars at the time. In 1939 access to Buenos Aires from Pilar was completed, passing through Campo de Mayo and San Martín.
In those days, the Buenos Aires - General Pacheco - Campana - Zárate section was part of National Route 12. In 1943 Buenos Aires Province transferred the road section Campana - San Nicolás under construction to the national government, making it part of National Route 9, along with the Buenos Aires - Campana section of Route 12. This way they shortened the road distance between the two most populous cities in Argentina. You can see in the map the new road layout of National Route 9 in red, and the old one in green.
In 1950 the Dirección Nacional de Vialidad (Public Works Dept) paved the Ramallo to San Nicolás de los Arroyos section, and between 1952 and 1953 they finished the Campana to Atucha section and in 1956 the road was fully paved from Buenos Aires to Rosario.
After the change of layout in 1979, the route was fully paved except for a short piece north of Humahuaca, in Jujuy Province, which was an improved road. Works to finalize the route started in 1997 and were extended until 30 April 2004, opening to the public on 21 January 2005.
Divided lanes
Buenos Aires - Rosario Highway
The section passing through Greater Buenos Aires to the Port of Campana access road is part of "Acceso Norte" (a 120 km-length road that runs from Avenida General Paz (Buenos Aires city border) to Route 9, with branches to Tigre and Pilar through National Route 8). The section between Avenida General Paz to the start of Route 8 is named "Autopista Pascual Palazzo" (by Decree 17/1981).