The 5 most-viewed Mexican water and infra projects of 2023

As more Mexican projects are added to the BNamericas platform each day, we take a look at the five most-viewed infra and water initiatives during 2023.

Line No. 4 of the Guadalajara light rail system

On November 23, Jalisco’s infrastructure and public works ministry said construction of the rail project in the state capital was 34% complete, daily Milenio reported. It will connect Tlajomulco de Zúñiga municipality with Guadalajara metropolitan area and, despite its slow progress, the local government has said it expects it to be operational during the first half of 2024.

The system will have eight stations: Las Juntas, Periférico Sur, Adolf Horn, Concepción del Valle, San Sebastián, La Fortuna, Centro Universitario and Centro de Tlajomulco. Travel time along the full 21km will be approximately 35 minutes at a speed of 80km/h. Capex is 9.1bn pesos (US$539mn) and works officially began at the end of 2022.

Tijuana-Valle de Guadalupe treated wastewater aqueduct

The approximately 110km pipeline will supply treated water from the La Morita and Arturo Herrera plants in Tijuana, and El Naranjo and El Gallo in Ensenada, crossing the Baja California wine route until reaching the discharge points in Guadalupe valley. The project, with capex put at around US$80m, will allow for the irrigation of 10,000ha of additional agricultural land.

Construction was first announced in 2018, under the Baja California administration led by Francisco Vega de Lamadrid. The works were awarded to Odis Asversa and were expected to be completed in 20 months. However, according to publication Semanario Zeta, the works were repeatedly postponed due to disagreements with wine growers over the price of treated water and social conflicts in the area, among other issues. 

The state said in October 2022 that the first stage would provide 400l/s. 

Expansion and modernization of Progreso port

Very few updates have been provided by the local government or the Mexican navy regarding this project to expand, modernize, and operate Progreso port in Yucatán state. The project requires capex of 4.2bn pesos and has its environmental studies approved, according to Yucatán state.

The aim is to build and equip a new terminal and increase the depth of the navigation channel and harbor to allow the port to receive larger vessels. It can currently receive ships carrying 36,000-40,000t but the expansion would mean that vessels with loads of up to 100,000t will be able to dock.  

Local media and blogs reported in mid-December the publication of a tender to carry out the project, with the number GE-YUC-OEMY-OB-LP-001-2023, by the energy and maritime operator of Yucatán. Nevertheless, searches carried out by BNamericas on local and federal websites found no such tender. 

In June, the state congress approved 3bn pesos in financing in a move prior to launching a tender for the project. 

A first tender was launched in 2021 but the process did not advance even though bids were received. 

The port upgrade is also key to building a US$550mn shipyard announced by Italian company Fincantieri in late 2020.

Durango-Mazatlán rail link

The 180km rail link between Durango state and Mazatlán city in Sinaloa would be part of a corridor to link Sinaloa state with Winnipeg in Canada. The megaproject also includes the construction of a floating port in Mazatlán. 

In September, the Durango-based president of national transformation chamber Canacintra, Eduardo Rodríguez Gálvez, was quoted by news outlet Contacto Hoy as saying construction of the rail link is still in limbo and there is no date set to begin the work.

In May, Durango’s economic development minister, Alfredo Herrera Deras, told newspaper El Sol de Durango that construction could start in 4Q23 but no update was provided after that. Capex is put at nearly US$500mn.

Expansion of Guadalajara airport

The project comprises the expansion of the Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara international airport with estimated capex of US$742mn. It involves the construction of a third terminal, a second runway, new hangars and customs, and the modernization of terminal 1. 

According to the airport’s director, Martín Pablo Zazueta, quoted by daily El Economista, work on the second runway will end in January and the expansion will begin operations in April or March. 

With the expansion, Guadalajara airport’s capacity will increase by 50%.

“The runway is the flagship work of the airport. It will be 3,538m long, 45m wide… it will increase capacity by more than 50%,” said Zazueta on December 7. 

A third terminal is due to be ready in 2026 with operations scheduled to start in 2027, operator GAP’s institutional relations and social responsibility director, Alejandra Soto Ayech, told BNamericas during an event in May.