Mexico City Achieves 80% Progress in “Cualli Ohtli” Paving Program, Bolstering Urban Infrastructure
Mexico City, April 20 – The Mexico City government announced today that its ambitious “Cualli Ohtli” (Good Road in Nahuatl) paving program has reached an 80% completion rate. Head of Government, Clara Brugada, presented the significant advancements of this initiative, highlighting its historical investment and profound impact on the city’s infrastructure.
The program, which commenced on October 7 of last year and is set to conclude by the end of May, involves an investment of 2.6 billion pesos. Its primary objective is to intervene in a quarter of the city’s primary roadways, aiming to pave 250 kilometers, equivalent to over 3.5 million square meters.
Strategic Investment for Durable and Safe Roads
Clara Brugada emphasized the strategic importance of “Cualli Ohtli,” stating, “Today we are going to talk about a strategic program for the city, a program that involves a very significant amount of resources and addresses a strategic issue, which is the paving infrastructure for this great city.” She further explained that the program represents a shift from temporary patching to comprehensive paving, ensuring more durable, safer, and efficient streets for years to come. “Pothole repair merely mends the wound. Durable and safe streets are built with paving for several years to come. In contrast, pothole repair only offers temporary relief that the next rain washes away. We are not here to mask problems; we are here to solve fundamental problems. This paving is historic; this amount of resources allocated in one year to pave the city has never been seen before.”
The works have been primarily conducted during night shifts to minimize disruption to citizens, accumulating over 210 nights of continuous labor across 52 work fronts. “We have already completed 2.8 million square meters, which is 80% of the goal we committed to. This has meant 10,900,120 night shifts divided into 52 daily fronts over 210 nights throughout the city. The work is done at night to avoid inconvenience to citizens. In May, we will finish this task, by the end of May as we committed. While the population rests, the city has worked every night on paving. Since early October, workers have been paving every night without rest.”
Unprecedented Public Investment and Sustainability Efforts
Juan Pablo de Botton Falcón, Mexico City’s Secretary of Finance, highlighted that the strengthening of public investment has been crucial for strategic projects like road repaving. He reported a 55% growth in investment over the past two years, representing an additional 20 billion pesos compared to 2024, primarily allocated to urban infrastructure, mobility, water, and security. These resources, he noted, largely originate from local revenues and are exclusively directed towards public investment, with no allocation for current expenses.
Brugada also announced the installation of the city’s first asphalt recycling plant, an initiative that forms part of a circular economy model. This plant will reuse materials, contributing to more sustainable urban infrastructure. “We are going to install the city’s first asphalt recycling plant, which is part of our circular economy project. That is, we give asphalt a new life. All the asphalt that has been removed from all the work done every night.”
Impact on Mobility and Future Plans
Raúl Basulto Luviano, Secretary of Works and Services of Mexico City, confirmed the 80% progress, with 2.88 million square meters intervened across 224 kilometers of primary roads. The original target is to reach 3.5 million square meters over 250 kilometers. He assured that the program is on track to conclude by the end of May, with a new phase of paving scheduled to begin in October.
The “Cualli Ohtli” program is expected to significantly enhance urban mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and improve the overall quality of life for Mexico City residents. The emphasis on durable infrastructure and sustainable practices marks a new era in the city’s urban development.
Source: IMER Noticias, Mexico City Government
