Spotlight: 3 complementary Maya train works in Quintana Roo

Construction for three complementary works for the 180bn-peso (US$8.9bn) Maya train in Mexico’s Quintana Roo state is expected to start this year.

The projects are the modernization of the Cancún-Tulum highway, the Tulum bypass, both of which will demand a combined 13.7bn pesos, and the new Tulum airport, for which capex has not been determined yet, according to government reports and announcements.

Tourism board Fonatur, which oversees the 1,500km Maya train, and defense ministry Sedena, which will build train stretches and a terminal, will finance the complementary works with federal funds. Sedena will administrate the train after works conclude. 

The government has already presented plans to integrate the Quintana Roo works into the freight and passenger rail line that will connect five states in the southeast and is expected to boost tourism. 

Yet, other proposals such as a solar park for the line are also being contemplated and could be added later. Several technical modifications were made to the train’s portfolio since planning began in 2019. 

Cancún-Tulum highway modernization

The modernization was originally included in the tenders for stretch five of the train, which will connect Cancún’s international airport and vacation hub Tulum via Playa del Carmen. 

However, the project was split into separate works over financial concerns. Two contracts were tendered and awarded this year for the rail line and one for the rehabilitation, modernization and operation of the highway. 

According to documents Fonatur submitted to the finance ministry (SHCP) in February, the rehabilitation of the highway, along which stretch five will be built, will cost 12.8bn pesos, of which 3.7bn pesos will be allocated this year and the rest through 2023. 

The project entails building a 15m-wide section in the middle of the highway for the double-track electrified line and widening the road to three lanes per direction. It will also require a maintenance and operation concession for three years. 

It remains unclear who will carry out the works or how they will proceed, given that Fonatur awarded the southern section of stretch five to Sedena. The defense ministry then proposed building an elevated track to reduce costs. 

Tulum bypass

After over a decade of planning, authorities have signaled plans to launch the tender for the 26km Tulum bypass this year, according to government project tracker site Mexico Projects Hub. 

Works involve a 972mn-peso public-private partnership contract for two 3.5m lanes with 2.5m shoulders and a 12m section in between, as well as three junctions at unspecified locations, to reduce heavy transit at the Kukulcán and Tankul boulevards. 

The project is being led by communications and transportation ministry SCT, which clashed with the environmental ministry (Semarnat) weeks ago after it was denied authorization to update the environmental impact statement, daily El Economista reported on April 18.

Semarnat said technical details were missing regarding the highway and environmental effects in the Riviera Maya archeological area. SCT must solve the issues before it may proceed.

Tulum airport

Works on a new passenger airport terminal in Tulum will begin this year, according to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Last October, he said Sedena will be responsible. 

The ministry will conclude 33 pre-investment studies in June, and works are expected to start afterwards. 

However, many technical details are still missing, and the government has still not provided a cost estimate. 

The airport is expected to enter operations in 2023. Sedena is currently building the US$3.55bn Felipe Ángeles airport (AIFA) in Mexico state. 

Maya train costs

In the 2021 spending budget published last year, the finance ministry estimated the Maya train will cost 161bn pesos, of which 37.5bn pesos were allocated previously and 36.2bn pesos will be earmarked this year. 

That estimate does not include complementary projects, however. 

Fonatur director Rogelio Jiménez Pons told daily El Economista in March that capex had risen to 180bn pesos due to “adjustments.”

According to a recent investigation by daily El Universal, costs, including complementary works, could reach 348bn pesos. But El Universal did not present a detailed projects list nor its calculation methodology. 

The train’s route was significantly altered and three of its seven stretches are now all-electric, contrary to initial plans. All these changes pushed up the cost. 

Jiménez said that the government is hoping to save costs by commissioning works to Sedena. He added that it has not yet been decided if the armed forces will operate the train and carry out other works such as building the stations.