Mexico developing highway projects

Mexico's transport and communications ministry, SCT, is developing 46 highway projects, worth US$12.3 billion, to be completed by 2018.

"We have 28 highways under construction, eight were recently finished, and construction on an additional seven highways will start before the end of the year, said SCT minister Gerardo Ruiz, during the launch of construction of the Cardel-Poza Rica highway.

A consortium led by Mota-Engil won a 30-year concession for the 129 kilometre Cardel-Poza Rica highway concession in Veracruz state in June.

SCT also expects to open the Mexico City-Tuxpan highway on 17 September, said Ruiz. Construction of the highway is already complete, and the highway's remote monitoring and radar systems are in the final testing phase.

The award of the Tuxpan-Tampico highway concession is expected on 17 September, the first project in the country to be developed under the public-private partnership law's unsolicited proposal provision. The winning bidder will be required to build, operate and maintain the highway's 106.6 kilometre Tuxpan-Ozuluama stretch for 30 years.

The three highways will form an important transport corridor to connect Mexico City and the gulf coast port of Tuxpan, and provide access to the north of the country, said Ruiz.