San Miguel de Allende Mayor Luis Alberto Villarreal said Sunday the public works project on the Avenida Guadalupe is 85% complete.

Accompanied by the local director of public works and infrastructure, Antonio Soria, Villarreal spoke with constituents who live in the area and listened to their opinions on the project.

The repaving of the street with stamped concrete will benefit the estimated 5,000 students who attend the area’s five schools, as well as over 700 local businesspeople who make a living there, he said.

It will also improve transportation for thousands of people who use the avenue daily, as the area is home to around 20% of the residents of San Miguel.

“What we want to do is make the people of San Miguel proud, tell them that they can and should live under the same circumstances as people in the historic center or other areas,” said Villarreal.

“Here there are more than 700 businesspeople, several schools with two shifts, and each day over 5,000 students walk this street that didn’t have any sidewalks. We can’t continue to allow this to happen,” he added.

He also emphasized that they are not only laying pavement for the road, but also laying the foundations for the second stage in the project, an arcade that will be completed in 2020.

Villarreal added that the arcade will be similar to that of the city’s main square, the Plaza Principal, which will stylistically integrate it with other key areas in the city.

The project also includes painting of facades, restoration of cantera limestone and the installation of new awnings.

The mayor repeated his promise to have the project completed in less than 90 days, and announced there will be an inauguration ceremony on December 12.

Source: Milenio (sp)