CMIC Calls to Improve Urban Mobility in Mexico

The Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry (CMIC) urged the implementation of public policies to improve urban mobility infrastructure in the country, aiming to better integrate urban planning, economic development, and sustainable mobility.

Luis Méndez, President, CMIC, pointed out that over the past decades, Mexico has experienced rapid, disorganized, expansive, and polluting urban growth, resulting in significant mobility problems. He explained that this is due to different factors, including a lack of city growth planning and a horizontal territorial growth model that results in long distances, high travel times, and elevated costs. Additionally, he emphasized that there is a prevailing culture of mobility centered on the use of private vehicles, with an exponentially growing vehicle fleet and investments primarily focused on roadworks designed for cars.

"In a 30-year period (1980-2010), the urban sprawl has multiplied more than seven times, thus expanding distances and increasing the travel times and costs of goods and people within cities. Currently, eight in 10 Mexicans live in urban areas," underscored Méndez during a press conference.

According to the Urban Mobility Index of the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), published in 2019, Mexico is the G20 country where households allocate the highest proportion of their expenditure to transportation. This expense represents 19% of total household spending, equivalent to an average of MX$1,815 (US$100.53). In comparison, Canada spends 16% of total income, the European Union 13%, and the United States 10%.

Since the 1980s, the vehicle fleet has grown by 420% on the national scale, a rate almost eight times higher than population growth. Of this vehicle fleet, representing 51.2 million vehicles by 2024, 71% are private vehicles, and only 1% are public passenger transports, Méndez highlights. "This is concerning, as in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, private cars pollute almost 60 times more per passenger than Metrobus" he stated.

Méndez emphasized that there is also an evident lack of infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. In December 2023, Mexico City had 481.74km of active cycling infrastructure, while cities like Monterrey and Tijuana had barely 5.1km and 9km, respectively. This suggests the centralization of efforts only in the capital, neglecting the development of such infrastructure in other cities.

Based on the arguments presented, Méndez proposed 10 measures to promote sustainable urban mobility in Mexico:

1. Strengthening urban planning and territorial ordering. For this, the creation of a National Institute of Sustainable Urban Mobility should be considered.

2. Increasing investment for the development, expansion, and modernization of public transport systems.

3. Expanding and improving infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists through the construction and maintenance of green corridors, pedestrian circuits, and safe and connected bike lanes.

4. Accelerating the transition to electromobility by expanding charging infrastructure and implementing fiscal standards and incentives to stimulate the use of electric and hybrid vehicles.

5. Considering implementing congestion charges to discourage private vehicle use in critical areas and peak hours, using the revenues to fund public transport improvements.

6. Strengthening comprehensive risk management in infrastructure and mobility systems in response to climate change-related phenomena.

7. Developing campaigns to educate and raise awareness among the population about the benefits of sustainable transport and ensure total accessibility and social inclusion in public transport systems.

8. Intensifying the use of advanced digital technologies to improve traffic management and public transport systems.

9. Promoting alternative financing schemes for sustainable urban mobility infrastructure, such as public-private co-investment models.

10. Utilizing all legal, institutional, and public policy tools to advance toward a sustainable mobility model where pedestrians and cyclists are at the top of the pyramid, followed by public and cargo transport, and finally private vehicles.

Méndez noted that financing to achieve these goals is a challenge, so he suggested restructuring the Metropolitan Fund and encouraging private co-investment. This federal government program provided resources to metropolitan areas for the development of equipment plans and projects. In 2016, the instrument had a resource allocation of MX$10.4 billion in the Federation Expenditure Budget. However, it was withdrawn starting in 2020.

"There is not enough money, but there is money to start. I believe that by restructuring the Metropolitan Fund and introducing amounts around MX$10 billion, also with money from municipalities and private sector co-investment mechanisms, we could start in important metropolitan areas like Leon, Merida, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Queretaro, Toluca, and the Valley of Mexico," underscored Méndez.

Méndez noted that the arrival of Claudia Sheinbaum to the presidency marks a turning point for urban mobility in Mexico, as the elected president is aware of the importance of the environment and sustainable development. "We are working closely with Claudia Sheinbaum's team, and we are also looking forward to increasingly linking up with her to learn about the upcoming proposals that will be made," he said.

Méndez also highlighted the importance of intersectoral cooperation to advance toward a sustainable mobility model. "From our perspective as builders, we are willing to start designing projects and work in consultative and collegiate bodies with universities and other industrial chambers, colleges of architects, engineers, urban planners to design a national project for the next 10, 20 years," the entrepreneur highlighted.