Cárdenas Ring Road

The Cárdenas Ring Road are two circular ring roads (C55 and C56) encircling the city of Cárdenas, the capital of Nouvelle Alexandrie. It is part of the Pan-Keltian Highway and was opened between 1700 AN.

The motorway is a total of 120.6 km (75.4 mi) long, the Outer being 85.5 km (53.4 mi) long and the Inner being 35.1 (21.9 mi) km long, and is one of the busiest ring roads in the world. The system is designed to handle a peak capacity of 250,000 vehicles per day, with dynamic lane management and real-time traffic monitoring via a centralized control hub in the Utilities Sector.

The motorways feature a standard lane configuration with 3.5 m (11.5 ft) lane width, separated by a 1.2 m (4 ft) central central reservation with steel cable barriers and energy-absorbing W-beam guardrails. The pavement is made of Continuously reinforced concrete pavement, incorporating drainage layers and noise-reducing asphalt overlays.

History

The construction of Cárdenas was part of the synonymous Plan, which saw the new capital of the Federation of Nouvelle Alexandrie being constructed. The need for a ring road was deemed vital for the transportation needs. Both Roads were constructed between 1696 AN and 1700 AN. The C55, the Outer Ring, was connected to the C1 motorway and the C28A motorway, and acted as the main bulk road for the PKH. It follows a irregular circular path and is at a distance between 10 to 20 km (6 to 12 mi) from the city center. The C56, the Inner Ring, is a heavy-purpose ring road about 5 to 6.5 km (3 to 4 mi) from the city center, and is more circular. Both used multiple tunnels to bypass urban areas. The two rings were connected by junctions to the C1, north and west; and C28A, east.

Development beyond 1700 AN include: the opening of the Jario and Bagalipe Bypasses in 1708 AN and 1712 AN, respectively, which created two new south connections between the C55 and C56; the creation of the Olos Bypass in 1734 AN, creating a new southeast connection between C55 and C56; and the Badregas Orbital Highway, a half-circular far-out ring road to the east of Cárdenas, connecting between Ahuaco, Tastin, Bemar, and Jinozonte, bypassing the C56 at about 30 to 35 km (19 to 22 mi) from the city center.

Route

A view inside the Cardenas West Highway Tunnel.

Outer Ring

The 0.0 mi point of the C55 is at the intersection with the C1 motorway, and its junctions are numbered clockwise. It moves circular (clockwise) past Conzalito, the Cárdenas Airport, Lagutepe, Ahuaco, Jario, Bemar, Jinozonte, Sicero-Izaran, Bagalipe, Nincaral, Tamento, Entertainment District, University District, Albaño, and the Military Sector.

The entire road is a four-lane dual carriageway, with safety barriers along the whole line and a hard shoulder. Between J1 and J9; and J22 and J29, the road is dual six-lane. The speed limit is 80 km/h (50 mph) throughout. There are speed cameras that enforce this limit.

Bridges and Tunnels

There are a total of 2 tunnels and 3 bridges: starting with the Conzalito bridge at 1.4 mi; the Airport-Harbor Tunnel at 8.5 mi; the Bemar Bridge at 25.4 mi; the Nincaral Bridge at 34.3 mi; and the Cardenas West Highway Tunnel at 42.4 mi (the longest tunnel in Nouvelle Alexandrie at 8.4 km/5.2 mi) - which includes a parallel service tunnel for maintenance and emergency evacuation, accessible every 500 meters via pressurized cross-passages.

Inner Ring

The 0.0 mi point of the C55 is at the C1-C56 Link, and its junctions are numbered clockwise. It moves circular (clockwise) through Science District, Banking Sector, Alanregal, Olos-San Ludo, Sicero-Izaran, Patiapa, Utilities District, Government District, and the Industry District.

The entire road is a six-lane dual carriageway, with a median strip and safety barriers. Most of the hard shoulder is on the median strip. Between J1 and J5; and J17 and J21, the road is dual eight-lane. The speed limit is 80 km/h (50 mph) throughout. There are speed cameras that enforce this limit.

Bridges and Tunnels

There are 4 tunnels: starting with the Banking Tunnel at 5.8 mi; the Olos Tunnel at 11.6 mi; the Patiapa Tunnel at 19.6 mi; and the Inner City Tunnel at 27.5 mi.

Badregas Orbital Highway

The 0.0 mi point of the BOH is at Puerta Aeropuerto, which was expanded into a full cloverleaf to create a new junction. It moves circular (clockwise) through Ahuaco, Jario, Bemar, Jinozonte, and finally ends at the Olos Bypass; at a mean distance of 14 km out from the Outer Ring.

The entire road is a four-lane dual carriageway throughout, with safety barriers along the whole line and a hard shoulder. The speed limit is 100 km/h (60 mph) throughout. There are speed cameras that enforce this limit.

Bridges and Tunnels

There are 2 tunnel and 1 bridge: the Airport East Tunnel at 0.4 mi; the Ahuaco Bridge at 5.6 mi; and the Jario Tunnel at 10.4 mi.

Bypasses

Jario

The 0.0 mi point of the Jario Bypass is at Intercampio Jario Interior, connecting to the Inner Ring. It moves eastward through Alanregal and Jario, and ends at the Outer Ring and BOH at Intercampio Jario Exterior. It has a total length of 3.8 km.

The entire road is a four-lane dual carriageway throughout, with safety barriers along the whole line and a hard shoulder. The speed limit is 80 km/h (50 mph) throughout. There are speed cameras that enforce this limit.

Bagalipe

The 0.0 mi point of the Bagalipe Bypass is at Intercampio Bagalipe Interior, connecting to the Inner Ring. It moves southwestward through Patiapa and Bagalipe, and ends at the Outer Ring and at Intercampio Bagalipe Exterior. It has a total length of 4.4 km.

The entire road is a four-lane dual carriageway throughout, with safety barriers along the whole line and a hard shoulder. The speed limit is 80 km/h (50 mph) throughout. There are speed cameras that enforce this limit.

Olos

The 0.0 mi point of the Bagalipe Bypass is at Intercampio OlosInterior, connecting to the Inner Ring. It moves southeastward through Olos-San Ludo, Bemar, and Jinozonte, and ends at the Outer Ring and BOH at Intercampio Olos Exterior. It has a total length of 5.7 km.

The entire road is a four-lane dual carriageway throughout, with safety barriers along the whole line and a hard shoulder. The speed limit is 80 km/h (50 mph) throughout. There are speed cameras that enforce this limit.

Other ring roads

The C55 and C56 are the two roads that pass through the city of Cardenas, but there exist two roads that allows traffic to bypass the capital altogether:

• The A239, which runs about 40 km west and north of the Outer Ring; connecting to the C1 and C28A;
• The A431, which runs about 60 km south of the Outer Ring, connecting to the C1 and C28A.

Exits

Inner Ring

Junction number	Junction name	Exits	Barrio
1	Intercambio de Norte	C1-C56 North Link	Science
2	Puerta d'Alfonso	Ave. Alfonso
3	Puerta del Rey	C. d. Rey	Banking
4	Puerta de los Bancos	C. d. Banco Viejo
5	Puerta Este	C1-C28A Link	Alanregal
6	Puerta Yaguanara	Ave. Yaguanara
7	Puerta Flocha	C. Flocha
8	Puerta Andaza	C. Andaza
9	Intercampio Jario	Jario Bypass
10	Puerta del Sol	Ave. d. Sol	Olos-San Ludo
11	Puerta Bambapoyas	C. Bambapoyas
12	Intercambio Olos	Olos Bypass
13	Puerta Cipoli	C. Cipoli
14	Puerta Firquel	Ave. Firquel
15	Puerta Izaran	Ave. Mercado	Sicero-Izaran
16	Puerte Isigas	Ave. Isigas	Patiapa
17	Puerte Limcarai	C. Limcarai
18	Intercampio Bagalipe	Bagalipe Bypass
19	Puerta del Agua	C. d. Agua	Utilities
20	Puerte Moriquen	C. Moriquen
21	Puerte Estación	C. Estación	Government
22	Intercambio del Oeste	C1-C56 West Link
23	Puerte del Palacio	Ave. Palacio Real
24	Puerte Blada	C. Blada
25	Puerte del Universidad	Ave. Universidad
26	Puerte Automotor	C. Automotor	Industry
27	Puerte Naciropa	C. Naciropa
28	Puerte Capifoa	Ave. Capifoa
19	Puerte Paldeua	C. Paldeua

Outer Ring

Junction number	Junction name	Exits	Barrio
1	Intercambio C1 Norte	C1	Conzalito
2	Puerta Parap	Ave. Parap
3	Intercambio Aeropuerto	C56-BOH Link	Aeropuerto
4	Puerta Camdas	C. Camdas	Lagutepe
5	Puerta Licamarca	C. Licamarca
6	Puerte Chahos	C. Chahos	Ahuaco
7	Puerte Ituryaty	Ave. Ituryaty
8	Puerte Lahuami	C. Lahuami
9	Intercampio 28A	C28A	Jario
10	Puerte Liruro	C. Liruro
11	Puerte San Bercarai	C. San Bercarai
12	Intercampio Jario	Jario Bypass
13	Puerte Iquilas	C. Iquilas	Bemar
14	Puerte de la Luna	C. d.l. Luna
15	Puerte Castida	Ave. Castida	Jinozonte
16	Intercambio Olos	Olos Bypass
17	Puerte Alles	C. Alles
18	Puerte Sunchaco	Ave. Sunchaco	Sicero-Izaran
19	Puerte Baqueras	Ave. Baqueras
20	Puerte Cartaral	C. Cartaral
21	Puerte Corquista	Ave. Corquista
22	Puerte Doco	C. Doco	Bagalipe
23	Intercampio Bagalipe	Bagalipe Bypass
24	Puerte Salahuapi	C. Salahuapi	Nincaral
25	Puerte Lahuachani	C. Laguachani
26	Puerte Ibigança	C. Ibigança	Tamento
27	Puerte del Presidenta	Ave. d. Presidenta
28	Puerte Zoológico	C. d. Zoologico	Entertainment
29	Puerte del Hospital	C. d. Hospital	University
30	Intercambio C1 Oeste	C1
31	Puerte del Letras	C. d. Letras
32	Puerte Gralán	C. Gralán	Albaño
33	Puerte Dorada	C. Dorada
34	Puerte Pregem	Ave. Pregem
35	Puerte San Isiretes	C. San Isiretes	Bocabona
36	Puerte del Arsenal	Ave. d. Arsenal	Military

Badregas Orbital Highway

Junction number	Junction name	Exits	Barrio
1	Intercambio Aeropuerto	C56-BOH Link	Aeropuerto
2	Puerta Tamarindos	C. d. Tamarindos	Ahuaco
3	Puerta Río Claro	C. Río Claro
4	Puerta La Vega	C. La Vega
5	Puerta de Mármol	C. d. Mármol	Tastin
6	Puerta San Vitorio	Ave. San Vitorio
7	Puerta Varada	C. Varada
8	Puerta Soberano	C. Soberano	Jario
9	Intercampio 28A	C28A
10	Puerta San Rómulo	Ave. San Rómulo
11	Intercambio Jario	Jario Bypass
12	Puerta Caminos	C. Cuatro Caminos	Bemar
13	Puerta Ceibos	Ave. Los Ceibos
14	Puerta Faro	C. del Faro	Jinozonte
15	Puerta Viento	Ave. Viento
16	Intercambio Olos	Olos Bypass

Bypasses

Jario Bypass

Junction number	Junction name	Exits	Barrio
1	Intercambio Jario	Inner Ring	Alanregal
2	Puerta de Candela	C. de Candela	Jario
3	Puerta San Juan	Ave. San Juan
4	Puerta Costelinos	C. Costelinos
5	Intercambio Jario	Outer Ring

Bagalipe Bypass

Junction number	Junction name	Exits	Barrio
1	Intercampio Bagalipe	Inner Ring	Patiapa
2	Puerta Oltaria	C. Oltaria
3	Puerta Santa Isabel	Ave. Santa Isabel
4	Puerta de Junta	C. de Junta	Bagalipe
5	Intercampio Bagalipe	Outer Ring

Olos Bypass

Junction number	Junction name	Exits	Barrio
1	Intercampio Bagalipe	Inner Ring	Olos-San Ludo
2	Puerta Rancin	C. Rancin
3	Puerta Ñueldano	C. Ñueldano
4	Puerta de Guardia	Ave. de Guardia	Bemar
5	Puerta Rodriguez	C. Rodriguez	Jinozonte
6	Intercampio Bagalipe	Outer Ring

Statistics

• Traffic in 1716 AN coinsisted of:
  • Around 180,000 vehicler per day, i.e. 8% of all trips in Cárdenas.
  • 85% cars and light trucks, 12% trucks, 3% motorcycles
• Average trip length: 16 km (10 mi)
• Average speed on working days (7:00 am-9:00 pm) 55 km/h (34.4 mph)
• Total jams time (1716 AN): 596 hours

See also

• National Highway System of Nouvelle Alexandrie
• Pan-Keltian Highway
• National Tampu System