The Jalisco government announced that it will invest over 2.5 billion pesos (US $114 million) this year to renovate the state highway system.
Along with the funds bankrolled for the project in 2019, the investment will amount to over 8.76 billion pesos (US $399 million) for the two-year period.
Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez said that with the investment in the state’s federal highways made by the Ministry of Communications and Transportation, Jalisco’s roads will have received a makeover worth over 11.4 billion pesos.
“Within nine months, we will have reached our goal of having 70% of the state highway system in good condition in just two years of our administration. We’ll go from 80% in bad condition to 70% in good condition,” said Alfaro.
He said that of the 6,617 kilometers of public highway in the state, 4,421 are in the state system and 2,196 are federal. With most of those roads in sub-standard shape when he began his administration, Alfaro said, they were leaving a bad impression on the 62 million people who drive them annually.
Thus far 40% of the funds have been spent, he said, and the remaining 60% will be spent by July.
“The goal for July of this year is to get to where half of our highways are in acceptable operating condition,” he said, adding that they will also build six new highways to strengthen regional connectivity.
The new highways will be Colotlán-El Carrizal-Aguascalientes, Autlán-Villa Purificación-Chamela, Talpa de Allende-Llano Grande-Tomatlán, Chiquilistlán-Tapalpa, Huejuquilla-Bolaños and Teocuitatlán-Concepción de Buenos Aires.
Source: El Economista (sp)
