Authorities Launch Bachetón to Repair Federal Highways

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) is launching the Federal Highway Conservation Program “Bachetón.” This program, which started this week, will focus on repairing and maintaining federal toll-free highways across nine Mexican states: Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Durango, Guerrero, Michoacan, Nayarit, Oaxaca, and Sonora. 

Covering approximately 44,600km of roads nationwide, the program aims to improve the condition of these critical transportation routes.

Jesús Esteva, Minister of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation, says that the project involves patching and mapping 134 segments, each 300km long, across 250 work fronts. These tasks are being carried out by a team of 1,160 workers who began the initial phase of routine maintenance this week. This phase is expected to conclude in February 2025.

In addition to patching, the SICT will conduct periodic conservation work, including milling (removing the damaged top layer of asphalt) and applying a new 5cm layer on various segments of the network. This aspect of the program will cover a total of 631km and employ around 1,500 workers. The project is set to begin in December and wrap up by April 2025.

The project will be done in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA), which is handling maintenance of about 1,000 kilometers of roads in southeastern Mexico, says Esteva. This effort focuses on routes impacted by material transportation for the construction of the Mayan Train. SEDENA is working on 17 federal highways, covering roughly 900km, and 181 rural roads spanning about 430km across Yucatan, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Campeche, and Veracruz. Esteva says that SEDENA has achieved about 10% progress in these tasks.

In the nine states where the program has already begun, 25 work fronts are active, involving 120 segments of 300km each. Esteva mentions that 134 work fronts are expected to be in place by December, with a daily capacity to address up to 370km of road.

The second phase of the program, which begins in December, will focus on milling and resurfacing a total of 640km of highways. This phase aims to substantially improve the quality of Mexico’s federal highways, ensuring safer and more reliable infrastructure for drivers.