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On average the Cancun area saw the biggest population increase in all of Mexico. The entire state of Quintana Roo grew 3 times the national average from census to census. That growth has brought with it plenty of issues with local roads. This has prompted the Agency for Strategic Projects in Quintana Roo to build a plan that will see extensions in some of the main avenues in the city. As well as the addition of bridges, and other mobility related upgrades to the city streets.
The idea is simple enough. These upgrades are meant to alleviate many of the traffic jams that are a common occurrence in the area. Particularly during peak season when the local population increases drastically. The director of the Agency for Strategic projects Jose Alberto Alonso Ovando detailed the plan to upgrade the city streets.
The whole plan is mainly centered around the large “Puente Vehícular Laguna Nichupté” project. This is essentially a bridge that’s going to allow drivers to cross the entire Laguna Nichupte. In doing so it will connect the hotel district in Boulevard Kukulkan, to one of the most important arteries in the mainland called Boulevard Colosio. Alonso Ovando stressed the importance of the project saying,
“The bridge in the Nichupte Lagoon is a necessary project to alleviate the current mobility issues that Cancun has.” Alonso Ovando would go on to say, “There’s also the Chacmol extension that’s going to cover about 12 kilometers, (around 7.5 miles). To be able to connect with Colosio.”
The Project Has The Green Light From The Federal Government
As things currently stand drivers have to basically go around the Nichupte Lagoon to be able to get to and from the hotel district. Making trips to the main city long and tedious for both tourists and people working in the tourism sector. Currently, it’s about a 13-mile trip from the mainland to the hotel district. On a good day that could be a 20-minute drive. The thing is, traffic jams have certainly increased in the last couple of years. The bridge project has been approved at the federal level. There are still certain things that need to be ironed out.
The state government orchestrated a trade with the federal government that included some land in Tulum. Also, the state government has committed to expanding the Colosio boulevard to feature 6 lanes made from high impact concrete. Expanding the Colosio boulevard is a move that is meant to alleviate potential bottleneck traffic issues in the area. Particularly when the Nichupte bridge is built and functional. The road that leads to the Cancun airport also may see an upgrade. Going from 2 lanes to 4.
Who Stands To Benefit More From This Particular Project?
People coming from the city center towards the hotel zone are undoubtedly going to be the ones to have the most to gain from this expansion. Although, the bridge can certainly help reduce traffic in some of the more common routes. For example, although driving from the airport to the hotel district won’t necessarily see you cross the Nichupte bridge, the traffic in the area should diminish. As people coming from the inner city won’t have to take the long route to the hotel district.
Although the project has already been published by the federal government in its official gazette there are still some things that could keep the bridge from being built. According to Alonso Ovando the bridge would only affect around 2.5 acres of vegetation. With there being massive benefits when it comes to jobs in the area. No environmental type lawsuits have been filled to try and derail the project. Although it would not be strange to see some appear.
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