A few months ago, it seemed that the wait was over. After more than 10 years of planning and construction, travelers could travel the distance between Oaxaca City and the state’s beaches in just two hours. The authorities assured that the new highway from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido would finally be ready for this summer. However, we will have to wait a bit, as the opening has been postponed at least until the end of 2023.
The project promises to radically reduce travel time by changing the old road, which could take more than six hours winding through the mountains, to a more direct and safer route. But the reality is that this idea is not new, but since it began to be conceived, in 2008, it has been struggling with many problems that are delaying its construction.
Unforeseen events have made the highway from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido the longest unfinished infrastructure project in the region. But, after going through three different administrations, it seemed that we were close to seeing it concluded.
Just last April, President López Obrador celebrated the progress of the work on his social networks, assuring that “it was almost there.” According to the president, for the work to be ready last July, as scheduled, only the construction of a large bridge and 12 kilometers of pavement remained.
The date set by the authorities for the completion of the project has already passed and, however, the highway is still not open to circulate from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. In fact, it looks like it won’t be soon either.
After the new postponement, President López Obrador has set a new completion date for the works, which have now been extended for 15 years. The authorities assure that the highway will be ready by October of this year.
Why is it still not possible to drive on the highway from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido?
The reasons behind this new delay have not been officially clarified by any of the authorities involved. However, the works on this last section of the highway have been full of obstacles since its first plans, due to an old agrarian conflict between the municipalities of San Vicente Coatlán and Sola de Vega.
Both towns are in a dispute over almost 20,000 hectares of land, just where the highway from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido passes. The conflict has even reached violent levels over the decades, which is why the residents seek official intervention to help negotiate peace.
Those responsible have restricted local labor and the passage of jobs through their towns to press their demands. However, López Obrador himself has assured that work is being done to reach an agreement
Source: Travesias Digital
