The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) is modernizing the 248-kilometer section of the Macuspana-Escárcega highway, which will benefit 760,000 residents of Tabasco, Campeche, and Chiapas and prevent flooding in the region.
This project improves the infrastructure and connectivity of the southeast through 103 structures, five vehicle crossings, six interchanges, nine return routes, 29 pedestrian underpasses, 39 bus stops, and 35 vehicle bridges.
One of the most relevant aspects of the SICT project, led by Jesús Esteva, is its strategic design to mitigate flood risks, which meets the criteria of the National Water Commission (CONAGUA).
The 35 vehicle bridges will have four lanes, be lengthened, and elevated to provide greater capacity during floods and heavy rains. This represents a design change that provides greater safety and resilience to climate contingencies.
According to the work plan, the expansion to four lanes will cover 130 km, of which 42 km will be in Tabasco, 63 km in Chiapas, and 25 km in Campeche. The project will be carried out in two stages: one expansion and the other maintenance, with completion scheduled between 2025 and 2028.
In 2025, efforts in Tabasco will focus on 12 km and the construction of two bridges in the Macuspana-Ocaña and Escárcega-José de la Cruz regions. By 2026, 38 km will be worked on in the Ocaña-Agua Blanca and Escárcega-Díaz Ordaz sections.
In 2027, an additional 38 km will be built between Agua Blanca and the Palenque junction, while in 2028, a further 38 km will be completed between the Palenque junction and the border with the states of Tabasco and Campeche.
Since March 16, the SICT has been carrying out the first phase in three simultaneous work fronts, each 4 km long, from Macuspana to Ocaña. This includes the construction of four underpasses and three turnarounds.
“This modernization boosts economic development and mobility in the region and will protect communities from the effects of rainfall, which means greater safety for the residents of southeastern Mexico,” the agency stated.
Source: 24-horas
