SICT to Invest US$98 Million in Road and Highway Repairs

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) is preparing an investment of over MX$2 billion (US$98 million) for the reconstruction of highways, rural roads and bridges in nine states that were damaged by natural disasters in 2020 and 2021.

Last month, SICT requested MX$2.17 billion (US$106 million) from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) for five major repair projects to fix deteriorated roads. With this investment, it will carry out infrastructure works in the states of Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Tabasco and Yucatan. The deterioration occurred mainly due to heavy rains and flooding, as well as damage caused by hurricanes Rick and Olaf.

The first project consists of 311 reconstruction works on damaged rural roads and highways, mostly in Oaxaca. Works include road patching, filling of landslides and reconstruction of bridges, requiring an investment of MX$1.42 billion (US$69.8 million). The second project involves roads, highways and housing repairs in areas of Guerrero affected by hurricane Rick. Here, MX$180 million (US$8.87 million) of investment is needed.

For the third project, SICT estimates an investment of MX$81 million (US$3.97 million) to repair rural roads and highways affected by rains, floods and landslides in Guanajuato, Chiapas and Oaxaca. The fourth project involves emergency works in Campeche, Chiapas, Durango, Oaxaca and Yucatan, including pavement repairs, resurfacing asphalt and the reconstruction of protective walls with MX$460 million (US$22.5 million) of investment.

The last of the five projects involves rebuilding five construction walls and executing minor works on two bridges on the Transpeninsular Benito Juarez and Todos Santos-San Lucas highways in Baja California Sur, which were damaged by Hurricane Olaf. The projects represent an investment of MX$27.2 million (US$1.33 million).

So far, SICT is the federal government agency that has requested the most resources from Mexico’s finance ministry. According to the Federal Expenditure Budget 2022, SICT will have a total budget of MX$65.5 billion (US$3.21 billion) throughout the year. Industry experts forecast that the federal strategy for the infrastructure sector in 2022 will mainly involve the completion of the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and all infrastructure required for its access. After the airport’s inauguration, public efforts are expected to shift toward the promotion of works in the southern and southeastern regions of the country, where the modernization of rural roads and highway networks is deemed essential.