Michoacan to Replicate Mexico City’s Cablebus System

The Governor of Michoacan, Alfredo Ramírez, said that his government would launch a cable car system in Uruapan. The project is similar to Mexico City’s Cablebus, which currently features two lines.

After a meeting with entrepreneurs, Ramírez said that the state government will incorporate another mobility solution for Michoacan: a cable car system. He added the project could be ready in 2023, so it has been included in the state’s public works program.

Uruapan’s public transport network consists of 42 bus routes that connect more than 30 neighborhoods. According to Ramírez, the new Cablebus will be his administration’s flagship mobility project as it will consist of eight stations starting from the 28 de Octubre and 2 de Mayo neighborhoods to the Los Laureles and Obrero Popular districts. The governor emphasized the necessity of the project.

According to Ramírez, studies showed that the city’s communities need a new mobility alternative and that the project would allow the government to restructure the current transportation network in Uruapan. He added that his government aims to modernize and strengthen public transportation in the area. 

Ramírez said that he will start working groups with key stakeholders in Uruapan to review the project and exchange points of view and reach a consensus to present the results to the federal government.

Mexico City Mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted Michoacan's intent to replicate the Cablebus system. “I have good news, one of our most important mobility projects, the Cablebus, will be replicated by the government of Michoacan,” She said. 

However, transportation associations are worried about the project since Ramírez did not clarify which company would develop it. Transport organization leader José Trinidad speculated that Cal y Mayor or Transconsul could participate in a tender, as the latter is currently participating in the construction of the Mayan Train.

For Konstantinos Panagiotou, CEO, Doppelmayr, the population growth in Latin American cities has caused the expansion of the urban centers to the suburbs and increased their need for safe, reliable and affordable transportation. In this context, cable car systems could play a key role to collect travelers in areas that are difficult to reach by other means of transportation and serve as a feeder system for the central public transportation infrastructure. In an interview with MBN, Panagiotou said that cable cars offer several advantages like the reduction of vehicular congestion and pollution, fewer topographic limitations when developing the project and the reduction of the total cost of travel for users, among other benefits.