The Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) has completed the expansion and modernization of the Ciudad Valles-Tamazunchale highway in San Luis Potosí. The project, inaugurated on August 23, 2024, represents an investment of 8.6 billion pesos and promises to transform connectivity in the Huasteca Potosina region.
The expansion of this road from two to four lanes is the central axis of the project. The works included the construction of 23 bridges of various types and lengths, designed to overcome the geographical challenges of the Huasteca. Eight strategically located junctions facilitate the connection with the surrounding communities, improving regional integration.
A notable technical aspect is the modification of 75 curves along 35 kilometers. This geometric rectification not only increases road safety, but also allows for higher operating speeds, contributing to the reduction of travel time from two hours and 20 minutes to just one hour and 10 minutes, offering an improvement in transport efficiency for more than 374,000 inhabitants of nine municipalities, including 58 indigenous communities.
The implementation of lateral shoulders on 60% of the route, which crosses urban and semi-urban areas, improves safety for pedestrians and local vehicles.
The project faced significant geotechnical challenges. Cuts of up to 50 meters in height were made and advanced embankment stabilization techniques were implemented. These civil engineering works not only guarantee the stability of the road, but also demonstrate the technical capacity of the Mexican construction sector.
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To address the climatic conditions of the region, characterized by high rainfall, a robust drainage system was designed. This hydraulic infrastructure, which includes ditches, culverts and bridges, ensures the durability of the road and prevents flooding in the surrounding areas.
41 wildlife crossings were built, an environmental mitigation measure that allows the continuity of local ecosystems. In addition, a reforestation program was carried out covering 165 hectares, offsetting the environmental impact of the work.
The project also included large-scale complementary works. The relocation and modernization of public service infrastructures was carried out, including water pipes and medium and high voltage power lines. These collateral improvements directly benefit the adjacent communities, raising their quality of life.
Ciudad-Valles-Tamazunchale
The work required an investment of 8.6 billion pesos. (Photo: SICT)
The change from two to four lanes not only doubles the vehicle capacity but also allows for better segregation of traffic, separating slow vehicles from fast ones and thus improving the efficiency and safety of the vehicular flow.
Improved connectivity not only benefits locals by bringing them closer to the state capital and the city of Tampico, but also establishes a more efficient link with the Mexico 70 highway, strengthening connections with the center and south of the country.
Jorge Nuño Lara, head of SICT, highlighted during the inauguration ceremony that this work is part of a set of 465 infrastructure projects completed during the current federal administration. The event was attended by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
Source: obras.expansion
