Due to historical reasons, the main roads of the network originate in Madrid. This circumstance has been modified during the century through the construction of transversal axes, creating a more meshed network.

The poor state of the Spanish road network was criticized by travelers of the century such as the British Henry Swinburne, who however excluded the Basque provinces from this negative judgment in his Travels through Spain in the years 1775 and 1776. like the United States and England.[5]​.

During the Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930) the construction of the road network for motorized traffic was undertaken; During these years the regime built - or improved - some 7,000 kilometers of roads, with the epicenter in Madrid.[6]​ When the Primo de Rivera regime fell, the Spanish road network was one of the best in Europe, although the civil war and the subsequent economic depression led to deep stagnation.[7]​.

As regards its territorial organization, in accordance with the constitutional distribution of powers, each autonomous community organizes the network of roads that run through its territory in accordance with its respective road laws, while the roads that affect more than one community are included in the State Road Network, which is governed by Law 37/2015 on Roads, under state jurisdiction and managed by the ministry responsible for roads.[8] An exception to this general rule are the road networks of Álava, Guipúzcoa, Navarra and Vizcaya, which have exclusive historical powers over roads, so the entire network is managed by the corresponding local bodies.[9]​[10]​.

Likewise, the basic regulation of traffic, circulation and road safety is the responsibility of the Government of Spain and is included in Royal Legislative Decree 339/1990 on Traffic[11] and in Royal Decree 1428/2003 of the General Traffic Regulations, which establishes the Official Catalog of Traffic Signs").

The nomenclature of roads is standardized in the section dedicated to road identification signs of Royal Decree 1428/2003 of the General Traffic Regulations.[12]​.

In the general case of a multi-provincial autonomous community, the Spanish road network adopts the following scheme, where XX is the identifying code of the autonomous community, YY is the identifying code of the province and ZZ is the identifying code of the city:

When the road is part of a European Network itinerary, the identifier “E-??” is added to the signage. (in white, on a green background) according to the numbering established by UNECE. Not to be confused with the identifier "E-??" (in white, on a red background), a rare nomenclature but occasionally used on roads that link radial roads ("N-?", white on a red background) with the corresponding highway ("A-?", white on a blue background) when these circulate distantly.[15][16]​.

State Highway Network

The State Highway Network (RCE), also called the State General Interest Network (RIGE), is the responsibility of the Government of Spain through the Ministry of Public Works, is governed by Law 37/2015 on Highways,[8]​ and is made up of state roads integrated into an itinerary of general interest or whose function in the transport system affects more than one autonomous community.

Secondary road network

The secondary network includes all those roads that do not belong to the State Highway Network (RCE), these being the ones that form the majority of the network. The secondary network can be divided into several types:

Due to historical reasons, the main roads of the network originate in Madrid. This circumstance has been modified during the century through the construction of transversal axes, creating a more meshed network.

The poor state of the Spanish road network was criticized by travelers of the century such as the British Henry Swinburne, who however excluded the Basque provinces from this negative judgment in his Travels through Spain in the years 1775 and 1776. like the United States and England.[5]​.

During the Dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1923-1930) the construction of the road network for motorized traffic was undertaken; During these years the regime built - or improved - some 7,000 kilometers of roads, with the epicenter in Madrid.[6]​ When the Primo de Rivera regime fell, the Spanish road network was one of the best in Europe, although the civil war and the subsequent economic depression led to deep stagnation.[7]​.

As regards its territorial organization, in accordance with the constitutional distribution of powers, each autonomous community organizes the network of roads that run through its territory in accordance with its respective road laws, while the roads that affect more than one community are included in the State Road Network, which is governed by Law 37/2015 on Roads, under state jurisdiction and managed by the ministry responsible for roads.[8] An exception to this general rule are the road networks of Álava, Guipúzcoa, Navarra and Vizcaya, which have exclusive historical powers over roads, so the entire network is managed by the corresponding local bodies.[9]​[10]​.

Likewise, the basic regulation of traffic, circulation and road safety is the responsibility of the Government of Spain and is included in Royal Legislative Decree 339/1990 on Traffic[11] and in Royal Decree 1428/2003 of the General Traffic Regulations, which establishes the Official Catalog of Traffic Signs").

The nomenclature of roads is standardized in the section dedicated to road identification signs of Royal Decree 1428/2003 of the General Traffic Regulations.[12]​.

In the general case of a multi-provincial autonomous community, the Spanish road network adopts the following scheme, where XX is the identifying code of the autonomous community, YY is the identifying code of the province and ZZ is the identifying code of the city:

When the road is part of a European Network itinerary, the identifier “E-??” is added to the signage. (in white, on a green background) according to the numbering established by UNECE. Not to be confused with the identifier "E-??" (in white, on a red background), a rare nomenclature but occasionally used on roads that link radial roads ("N-?", white on a red background) with the corresponding highway ("A-?", white on a blue background) when these circulate distantly.[15][16]​.

State Highway Network

The State Highway Network (RCE), also called the State General Interest Network (RIGE), is the responsibility of the Government of Spain through the Ministry of Public Works, is governed by Law 37/2015 on Highways,[8]​ and is made up of state roads integrated into an itinerary of general interest or whose function in the transport system affects more than one autonomous community.

Secondary road network

The secondary network includes all those roads that do not belong to the State Highway Network (RCE), these being the ones that form the majority of the network. The secondary network can be divided into several types: