Skip to main content

Mexico City’s new elevated highway

Mexico City’s new elevated highway will link to the new airport.
By MJ Woof September 14, 2020 Read time: 1 min
Another elevated highway is being planned for Mexico City - image © courtesy of Mike Woof
The proposed elevated highway to connect Mexico City with the new airport in Santa Lucia will be 15km in length. Estimates for the project have pegged the construction cost at just over US$425 million. The cost will be split between the Mexico City budget and the Mexican Federal budget.
 
The new airport is required as Mexico City’s current facility is no longer able to cope adequately with demand. Although accurate figures are hard to obtain, Mexico City is now thought to be the world’s second largest city in terms of population at more than 21 million. Another large airport site was planned but this project was halted on grounds of cost. The Santa Lucia facility is an existing military airbase and the current administration believes that converting this to a civilian airport offers better value for money.
 
Development work on the airport however has been slowed due to the discovery of at least 200 mammoth skeletons at the site, as well as the remains of a number of horse and camels. Archeologists are working ahead of the construction crews to catalogue and remove the remains. Construction work on the airport site is scheduled for completion in 2022.

Related Content

  • We can be Heroes
    January 11, 2023
    Paraguay’s Puente Héroes del Chaco will provide a vital transport link for the country once it is complete, Mauro Nogarin and Mike Woof report
  • Italy's strategic tunnel link
    August 21, 2012
    The world's largest tunnelling machine is completing Italy's important road connection between Bologna and Florence - Adrian Greeman reports For just under a decade a huge programme of highway construction has been underway in the mountainous region between Bologna and Florence, realigning a section of the A1 highway nearly 70km long. The new section, through major tunnels and across high viaducts, will greatly increase capacity on Italy's most important highway.
  • Mexican highway projects underway
    July 16, 2015
    The Mexico’s Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) has confirmed that a total of 1,474 road infrastructure contracts were granted in the first half of 2015. This work is costing in the region of US$1.02 billion. A total of 74% of these contracts were awarded to Mexican companies, whilst 26% corresponded to foreign firms. SCT informed that 31 projects were concluded so far in 2015 and added that 12 additional initiatives were expected to be completed by the end of the year.
  • Stonehenge tunnel preferred bidder announced
    May 27, 2022
    The preferred bidder has been announced for the UK’s Stonehenge tunnel.