The Gipuzkoa Provincial Council stated in the General Assemblies that accident rates on the N-1 road have decreased by 14% between 2023 and 2025. This statement was made in response to a PP inquiry regarding the increase in accidents, mobility issues, and traffic jams recorded in recent years on this key road artery. Fatal accidents have seen a 67% reduction on this route, which traverses the territory and handles significant international heavy goods traffic.
Accidents are primarily concentrated between October and January, and particularly between Wednesdays and Fridays, according to Félix Urkola, the Provincial Councilor for Road Infrastructure and Territorial Strategy. Urkola described the N-1 as a "very complex" road, featuring "various diversions" that bypass towns along the Oria River, making it difficult to implement bypasses at certain points.
With this data, he emphasized the human factor as one of the determining elements of accident rates.
In addition to distractions, excessive speed is the cause of 17% of accidents on the N-1, while infractions and obstacles on the road account for 16% of incidents, and road defects only 4%.
Trucks on the N-1 and A-15 suffered 21 accidents in 2024, 29 in 2025, and 31 so far this year. Of these, eight in 2024, 17 in 2025, and five in 2026 were breakdowns. A total of 81 incidents have been recorded over three years, with 30 being breakdowns.
The initiative, presented by PP spokesperson Mikel Lezama, requested explanations on road safety trends, the economic and labor consequences of traffic jams, and planned actions to improve traffic flow and future infrastructure planning.
The provincial councilor implicitly rejected the PP's diagnosis by highlighting the reduction in accidents. Urkola specifically analyzed the N-1's condition in Andoain, a critical hub with 48,000 vehicles daily, compared to 16,000 at Etzegarate. He noted that daily traffic jams towards Tolosa will be resolved by the new connection project linking the A-15 traffic from Astigarraga to the N-1 southbound.
This solution, known as the Andoain loop, is progressing. Urkola announced that his department plans to put the project out for public exhibition next week and tender the drafting this month. He also recalled the installation of two cameras in Andoain and the Sorabilla neighborhood to gather more information on road behavior.
Urkola reiterated that the Provincial Council is working on a comprehensive solution for the issues on the N-1. He also pointed to the recently completed renovation of all A-15 tunnels as an example of his department's efforts to maintain roads in good condition. He emphasized that €85 million is allocated annually for road network maintenance, with €6 to €8 million dedicated to the N-1, primarily for resurfacing.
