Guadalajara business leaders have expressed serious reservations about a proposal to convert Avenida Alcalde/16 de Septiembre into a pedestrian-only walkway.
As yet there are no designs for the plan, which would become operative only after the completion of the city’s third subway (Tren Ligero) line in 2018. The new Zapopan-Tonala line will run beneath Alcalde/16 de Septiembre, encompassing four stations in its underground stretch through the historic center.
Fernando Topete Davila, president of the Guadalajara Chamber of Commerce, said at least 300 businesses on the avenue, and dozens in side streets, could see their trade diminish because of the plan. He inferred that closing the entire avenue from La Normal circle to Avenida Revolucion to traffic is not viable, although he conceded converting certain sections into pedestrian zones could be beneficial. He said any project would need at least four years to “bed in” following the opening of the third Tren Ligero line.
Other business leaders also harbor doubts about the project’s viability. “The business community is not sure if the benefit (of the pedestrian project) will be as substantial as the government believes,” said Miguel Angel Fong, president of the Jalisco Hotel and Motel Association.
Fong urged state authorities to carry out a detailed impact study in conjunction with businesses likely to be affected before any decision is made.
Meanwhile, Topete Davila confirmed that around 60 businesses located along the Alcalde/16 de Septiembre axis have been forced to close their doors due to loss of income as work proceeds on the subway line.