Program Aims to Enhance State Connectivity and Repair Hurricane Erick Damages
During the morning press conference of Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, the Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation, presented updates on the road program in Guerrero. The project plans to invest 1880 million pesos (approximately 18.8 million USD) to improve state connectivity and address damages caused by Hurricane Erick.
Key Projects in Guerrero
- Cuautla–Tlapa Highway: 30 kilometers of the route in Guerrero, with a junction in Puebla, are being improved. Currently, 141 workers and 77 machines are engaged in six active fronts. The progress stands at 5%, with noticeable earthworks and slope cuts.
- Salina Cruz–Zihuatanejo Highway: Connecting Guerrero and Oaxaca, this stretch involves expanding eight bridges and constructing new ones, particularly between Cuajinicuilapa and Acapulco. Progress is also being made on the Toluca–Zihuatanejo route in collaboration with the Mexican Army (Sedena).
Emergency Actions Following Hurricane Erick
In response to Hurricane Erick, 173,000 cubic meters of debris have been removed, and all federal routes (free and toll) were reopened within 48 hours. Structural inspections are being conducted on ten bridges, and reinforcements are being made to those in Tortugas, El Papayo, and Pedregal.
A temporary bridge was installed in Omitlán after heavy rains destroyed the provisional passage. Meanwhile, the permanent bridge is under construction. Esteva Medina mentioned that a total of 63 bridges and 43 road segments will be rebuilt, with 46 bridges already in progress.
Extensive Road Program
Of the 135 roads being addressed this year across Mexico, 83 are in Guerrero, totaling 138 kilometers. This program represents a general investment of 3,000 million pesos (approximately 154,000 USD) for this year, with a projected 15,500 million pesos (approximately 768,000 USD) by 2030.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main focus of this investment? The primary goal is to enhance state connectivity and repair damages caused by Hurricane Erick in Guerrero.
- Which highways are part of this program? The Cuautla–Tlapa and Salina Cruz–Zihuatanejo highways are key projects, along with the Toluca–Zihuatanejo route.
- What emergency actions were taken after Hurricane Erick? Debris removal, bridge inspections, and the installation of temporary bridges were prioritized to quickly restore connectivity.
- How extensive is this road program? This year, 83 out of 135 roads across Mexico are being addressed, with a total investment of 3,000 million pesos (approximately 154,000 USD) and a projected 15,500 million pesos (approximately 768,000 USD) by 2030.
