The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) inaugurated the Nichupté Bridge in Cancún, Quintana Roo, a strategic project that connects the urban area, the airport, and the hotel zone in just 10 minutes, reducing travel times by 50 minutes.
The infrastructure, considered the second longest in Latin America over a body of water, serves as a more efficient evacuation route in the event of natural disasters, explained the head of the agency, Jesús Esteva Medina.
The bridge has a total length of 11.2 kilometers, of which 8.8 km correspond to the main section over the lagoon. It was built with an investment of 10.319 billion pesos and has three lanes, one in each direction and one reversible lane, as well as a two-way bike path.
In addition, it has a clearance of 5 meters in the navigation channel for the passage of vessels. An average annual daily traffic of 12,000 vehicles is projected.
Regarding its technical characteristics, the 700-meter-long top-down section was constructed using 84 piles driven to a depth of 30 meters. Additionally, 21 pile caps, 147 beams, and 21 slab spans were installed.
The project includes a 100-meter-long metal arch, composed of 25 voussoirs, spanning a cavern. In the 6.5-kilometer lagoon area, 788 piers were constructed.
The official emphasized that environmental protection was a priority in the project, achieved through the rehabilitation of 306 hectares of mangrove forest and the opening of 40 kilometers of canals.
Furthermore, efforts were made to rescue and relocate native flora and vegetation, protect seagrass beds, and monitor water quality and the lagoon ecosystem.
Finally, he reported that construction has begun on the Kukulcán Interchange, which will directly connect the Nichupté Bridge with the hotel zone (Punta Nizuc, Cancún). This project will be 770 meters long and represents an investment of 489 million pesos.
Source: tyt
