Mexico City Government Improves Mobility With Elevated Trolley

Mexico City's Governor Claudia Sheinbaum announced a MX$4 billion (US$164 million) investment for the construction of an elevated trolleybus system in the Ermita-Iztapalapa route. "This is a mobility project like no other. It is a modern platform for mobility," she said on a statement. 

The project will cover a 7.2km route and during its first stage it will incorporate 50 trolleybuses to its operations, seven stations and two terminals to transport 140,000 people per day. According to Mexico City's Ministry of Public Works, the first stage of the project will take 10 months and it is expected to be inaugurated in early April 2021. 

The initial route will be connected to Mexico City's integrated public transportation system through the Constitución 1917 station and the UACM. All stations will be accessed through safe crossing walks at street levels as well as inclusive infrastructure for people with disabilities. Each trolleybus will have a 142-people capacity with a price per unit of MX$13.6 million (US$560,000) purchased to Yutong company. 

Minister of Public Works of Mexico City, Jesús Esteva, also announced that Impulsora de Desarrollo Integral (IDINSA) is the company to which the project was assigned to after a close supervision from UNOPS. UNOPS Representative in Mexico, Fernando Cotrim, expressed the technical support the organization provided to Mexico City's government. "Principles of competition, money value and transparency have been assured in this direct contract assignment. Equal opportunities have been given to all companies that presented their original offerings," he said.

Mexico City's Minister of Mobility, Andrés Lajaous, highlighted that the project meets user's needs in extending Metro Line 8 for a safer and faster transportation. "We chose an elevated trolley taking into account this saves times for users leaving the Iztapalapa area. We are reducing transportation times by more than 30 percent," he said.

Claudia Sheibaum's administration has ambitious plans to transform public transportation in Mexico City and to improve the overall mobility services the city has to offer. As part of its strategy to integrate, improve and protect, the Mexico City government has also announced the construction of a Cablebús system which will consist in different cableway lines connected to the already existent public transportation system. The first two lines of this project are already under construction and the project is expected to open in late 2020.