Five-year transport plan

Mexico's transport infrastructure will get MXN 2.5 trillion (US$ 235 billion) under President Felipe Calderón's national development plan for 2007 to 2012, according to a government statement.

Of the MXN 2.5 trillion (US$ 235 billion), about MXN 287 billion (US$ 26 billion) will be invested in highways, with almost MXN 159 billion (US$ 14.5 billion) coming from public funds, and MXN 128 billion (US$ 11.6 billion) from the private sector.

Under the plan the Government would build and modernise 17600 km of highways. Of this, 5500 km would be ‘trunk routes’, 6800 km non-highway routes, 4000 km rural roads and supplementary highways, and 1340 km ‘complementary works’.

The aim, said the statement, would be to rise to 90% the proportion of the current Federal highway network under operation to “good condition”, up from the present 72%, and to cut the accident rate by about 50%.

Under the plan, MXN 49 billion (US$ 4.45 billion) would be invested in the country's railroads and multi-modal corridors, with MXN 27 billion (US$ 2.45 billion) coming from public funds and MXN 22 billion (US$ 2 billion) from private sources. President Calderón's aim is to build an additional 1420 km of railways, and complete the first phase of construction of three suburban train lines.

Most of the investment in the port sector is expected to come from the private sector, MXN 55 billion (US$ 5 billion) out of the expected total of MXN 71 billion (US$ 6.45 billion) needed until 2012. Five new ports are expected to be built and 22 modernised.

In the airport sector investment is expected to reach MXN 59 billion (US$ 5.4 billion), with MXN 32 billion (US$ 2.9 billion) coming from public funds, and MXN 27 billion (US$ 2.45 billion) from the private sector.