42 | INFRASTRUCTURE
Pacific express Mexico’s Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta ‘Via Corta’ is an ambitious road-building project that has had to overcome a number of setbacks. But, as completion is now within sight, it is hoped delays will soon become a thing of the past Words | Michael Donlevy Work is continuing on the Via Corta, a 103-mile (166km) toll road that, once completed, will link Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta in Mexico. Ironically, however, a project that is intended to slash journey times between the two major cities has been delayed several times by the sheer complexity of the task at hand. There is certainly a need for the highway. Puerto Vallarta is Mexico’s second most popular tourist destination behind Cancún, attracting more than four million visitors per year. Much of the traffic that arrives on the west coast resort comes from or through Guadalajara, which is on the route from Mexico City, causing an increase in congestion and pollution. This is exacerbated by the fact that the Nayarit Riviera, north of Puerto Vallarta, is also an increasingly popular tourist destination that has been undergoing heavy development in recent years. The Via Corta – which means ‘short route’ – reduces the length of the drive from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta by 49 miles (78km) and is intended to cut journey times to a total of three hours. That’s a reduction in traveling time of 90 minutes, according to Mexico’s Communications and Transportation Secretariat (STC). As the government department in charge of the highway, the STC has faced a series of challenges that have delayed the project, which is split into three sections: a 34-mile (54km) stretch from Jala, on the Federal Highway 150 to Compostela; a 19-mile (31km) section from Compostela to the Nayarit coastal town of Las Varas; and a final 50-mile (81km) highway south from Las Varas to Bucerias in Puerto Vallarta. The first section, which was originally due for completion before the end of 2015, finally opened in April 2017 and in itself reduces the journey time by at least 25 minutes, but by up to an hour during the high season, according to the STC.
Intertraffic World | Annual Showcase 2018
GUADALAJARA-PUERTO VALLARTA ‘VIA CORTA’ (SHORT ROUTE) Via Corta completed and open Via Corta in process, to open early 2018 Via Corta still to start work Federal Highway Compostela Las Varas
Chapalilla Jala
The second section is scheduled to open in December 2017 or early 2018 – which was the original deadline for the entire project to be completed. The final section is now not due to be completed until 2020 at the earliest.
Environmental protection One of the biggest factors has been the environment. Studies revealed that the region was rich in rare animal and plant life. Notably, the highway runs through a jaguar protection area around Vellejo Mountain that requires particular care and attention. Mexico has strict regulations to minimize the impact of industrial work, so the engineering and construction companies involved have had to be sure to preserve the environment and not destroy complicated ecosystems along the route. These issues have delayed all three sections, but particularly the final stretch toward Puerto Vallarta, which was still in the planning process through 2017.
Ixtlán del Rio
El Arenal
Buceriías
Puerto Vallarta
NAYARIT
JALISCO
Guadalajara
Another factor is the region’s topography. It’s a vast mountainous area that requires the construction of tunnels and viaducts, as well as the overpasses and underpasses required at junctions. Building access roads is an additional challenge in such uncompromising terrain. As an example, two sections of highway comprising 11 miles (18km) were built by civil engineering firm Acciona. The first 4.3-mile (7km) section required the construction of four viaducts, while the second 6.7-mile (11km) section required one viaduct, five underpasses and one overpass. On top of that, the company stresses that it worked hard to reduce the impact of its activities in these areas by employing a range of environmental measures, including the protection and relocation of species of wild flora and fauna, as per the country’s regulations and the highway’s planning restrictions. Add in the fact that there have been funding cutbacks at the STC and it becomes
