The Road Now Taken

Every journey has a beginning, a middle and an end. The best journeys are those that start smoothly, continue in comfort and ease, and end as expected at the destination without complications. The roads that carry you between points play a vital role in determining the quality of each of these elements. Building a connection between three key Mexican cities, infrastructure company COCONAL is constructing more than just a highway; it is creating a better journey for travelers.

The first step in this particular journey begins in Toluca, State of Mexico, almost 10 years ago. COCONAL saw an opportunity to ease the congestion that plagued the routes to the city of Zitácuaro in the neighboring state of Michoacan and to vacation destination Valle de Bravo. The Toluca-Zitácuaro highway begins at the entry junction to the Toluca-Atlacomulco highway from Toluca’s northeastern beltway and ends in El Puerto on the border of both states. The first 40km were opened on April 23th 2008, and the last 15km will be finalized and inaugurated by mid-November 2017.

Completion of the connection to Valle de Bravo was the second stage. In the early 2000s, the existing access roads to this tourist region were sinuous, narrow, dangerous and long. The average speed reached only 60km/h, the majority of the route consisted of narrow curves and the roads were dangerous and prone to accidents. COCONAL consequently built the Valle de Bravo access road and the Valle de Bravo-Avándaro walkway.

The access road to Valle de Bravo starts from the Toluca-Zitácuaro highway at Laguna Seca and provides an entry point into the valley and lake. Its 29km have been in operation since August 2011 and the road has become a quick and popular route to the town, not only for Toluca but also for residents of Mexico City.

The final phase of the project was the Valle de BravoAvándaro walkway, a vital connection between these two towns, since it prevents unnecessary crossings through the narrow and already saturated streets.

Overall, the project has allowed a better traffic distribution between the three locations, and has helped revive Zitácuaro as an economic hub, facilitating the commercialization of products and services. An added bonus is the shortened and more comfortable journey to Mexico City.