Ruta Nacional 3 ("National Route 3") is an Argentine highway, stretching from the eastern side of the country in Buenos Aires, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Río Negro, Chubut Province, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego. From its start at Avenida General Paz (A001) until the end, on the bridge over Lapataia River, it measures 3045 km. The road is interrupted between km 2674 and 2696, due to the presence of Magellan Strait, which forces access between Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego Provinces through Chile, over Ruta CH-255 and Ruta CH-257 paved 57 km north of the strait and another paved and treated 148 km section south of it. The crossing of the Magellan Strait is done in 20 minutes through a ferry traversing the width of 4.65 km at that point. After National Decree 1931 of 3 August 1983, this road is called Comandante Luis Piedrabuena south of National Route 22, that is starting at km marker 719.

Cities

These are the main (over 5,000 inhabitants) cities and towns joined by this route, North to South. In the provinces of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego towns under 5,000 inhabitants are marked in italics.

Buenos Aires Province

Length: 949 km (from km marker 14 to 963).

Río Negro Province

Length: 339 km(km 963-1304)

Chubut Province

Length: 552 km (km 1304-km 1856)

Santa Cruz Province

Length: 818 km (km 1856-km 2674)

Tierra del Fuego Province

Length: 363 km (km 2696-km 3059).

Tolls

In 1990 administration and maintenance of the most travelled roads was given to private companies with rights to collect tolls dividing the areas in "Corredores Viales" ("road corridors"). "Servicios de Mantenimiento de Carreteras" (Semacar) company, took charge of Corridor number 1, which includes Route 3 between km markers 19 and 677, in Buenos Aires Province, from the joining with Provincial Route 4 in San Justo to Bahía Blanca, with tolls collected in Cañuelas (km marker 78), Azul (km marker 263) and Tres Arroyos (km marker 523)., In 2003 the concession contracts expired, which led to a modification of corridor numbers and a call for a new public bid. Corridor Vial number 1 is now given to "Empresa Rutas al Sur" and runs from km marker 62 to 677 which corresponds to the crossing of Provincial Route 6 in Cañuelas until it joins National Route 252 in Grünbein.