Construction is underway on a new San Luis Potosí-Querétaro highway, which is expected to enhance connectivity within Mexico’s Bajío region and on to the north, Governor Ricardo Gallardo Cardona announced in October.
The San Luis Potosí state government is working with the Mexican company Grupo Meta (Mexicana de Técnicos en Autopistas) on the construction of the new highway, now in Phase One. Meta plans to invest over 20 billion pesos (US $1.1 billion) in the project, alleviating the financial burden on the state.
This is one of three major projects being carried out jointly by the state and Meta, along with the San Luis-Matehuala highway — connecting the city of San Luis Potosí with Matehuala in the north of the state — and the expansion of the Vía Alterna (Alternate Route).
Highway 57, the current route connecting the capitals of the two states, is one of the most-traveled roads in the country, but it is prone to delays from accidents, road work or simply backed-up traffic.
Beyond San Luis Potosí, it forms part of a major trade route between the industrial Bajío region and the north of Mexico.
The new highway is being developed as part of a government strategy to reduce commuting times and develop a safe logistics route between San Luis Potosí and the rest of Mexico’s central Bajío region.
Companies and freight drivers have been calling for several years for an alternative route to help reduce congestion.
The construction of the highway marks a historic step in mobility and economic development for San Luis Potosí, according to Gallardo.
The road from Querétaro will end in La Pila, just outside of San Luis Potosí city. Drivers will then be able to continue to the northern state of Nuevo León via San Luis Potosí state’s existing highway network, which will significantly enhance connectivity between Querétaro and the north.
For the metropolitan area, “there is also the Alternate Route from Highway 120 to 140, which will be something unique,” Gellardo said.
Work is also underway on another highway from Highway 140 to Highway 80, all the way to Villa de Reyes, to the south of San Luis Potosí city, with the participation of Meta and other private companies, according to the governor.
“These projects will connect San Luis Potosí in a big way, as [the state] is known for its major highways and thoroughfares.”
The project is expected to create both direct and indirect jobs during its construction, improve connectivity and boost tourism in San Luis Potosí. It will also attract higher levels of international investment as it strengthens San Luis’s booming automotive industry, which extends to the municipalities of Pozos to the east and Villa de Reyes to the south.
With reports from El Economista, El Sol de San Luis and Líder Empresarial
