A road connects Inverness, the capital of the Scottish highlands, with the bay of Algeciras, which lies much further south where most European roads end.

The so-called E15 runs across the continent for 3,700 kilometers. It stretches from the north of Great Britain to the gates of the Strait of Gibraltar. At its southernmost part, the road intersects with the Autopista del Sol.

Better known as Ausol, this highway is for traffic around Malaga and its airport. It also serves traffic originating (or ending) in Algeciras. The road has been in operation since 1999, and it’s managed by Ferrovial through Cintra. It is one of the major arteries of the Costa del Sol, and it’s a safe, efficient alternative in a semi-urban corridor with high levels of traffic. In 2022 Ferrovial sold its Ausol toll roads participation.

Though it runs along the coast, the highway has to navigate the capricious foothills of Malaga’s mountains for 105 kilometers. Its path isn’t very straightforward. To adapt to the landscape, the highway crosses 65 bridges and viaducts and runs through 10 tunnels in all. To improve visibility and safety conditions, Ausol also has a median measuring 12 meters wide. There are three lanes in each direction where traffic is the densest.

The environmental importance of nearby areas and the highly populated urban centers means that the highway must minimize its impact. This is why much of the route has acoustic panels and special pavement to mitigate traffic noise.