National Route 7 (Argentina)

National Route 7
Ruta Nacional 7
Map of the central region of Argentina, showing National Route 7 inred
Route information
Length:	761 mi (1,224 km)
Major junctions
East end:	Buenos Aires
	RN A001 at Buenos Aires, RN 188 at Junín, RN 33 at Rufino, RN 35 at Vicuña Mackenna, RN 8 at Villa Mercedes, RN 146 and RN 147 at San Luis, RN 40 at Villa Nueva and RN 149 at Uspallata
West end:	Paso Internacional Los Libertadores
Highway system
Highways in Argentina

National Route 7 (full name in Spanish: Ruta Nacional 7 Carretera Libertador General San Martín) is a road in Argentina. It crosses the country from east to west, from the capital (Buenos Aires) to the border with Chile, thus linking the Atlantic coast with the Andes, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, San Luis and Mendoza. It has a total length of 1,224 km (761 mi), of which 367 km (228 mi) (30%) are freeways.

National Route 7 is a branch of the Pan-American Highway, and continues into Chile under the name of Route CH-60.

The origins of this route go back to the Western Camino Real, which was used since the colonial era. The Western Camino Real started at Buenos Aires, ran through San Luis and Mendoza, and ended at Santiago de Chile. The road decreased in importance with the introduction of railways at the end of the 19th Century.

New settlements sprang up along the route, that were only served by the railway.

With the improvements in automotive travel, the National Congress created the National Highway Directorate in 1932. In 1935, that organisation started work on a new road parallel to a railroad operated by Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway (which later became Ferrocarril General San Martín). This route was given the number 7.

In June 1942, work finished with the paving of the route between Chacabuco and Junín. They built the paved section between Junín and Laboulaye using a slightly different route (a little to the south), which separated the railway from the towns, and sped up the transport on that section. On 2 October 1969, the 67 km between Rufino and Laboulaye was opened, and then the 165 km between Junín and Rufino followed on 28 October of the same year. The paving reached Villa Mercedes in 1975. Here it formed a junction with National Route 8. Route 8 gives the republic's capital access to the east of the country, and has been paved since 1940.