Work to expand the the rural two-lane road connecting the Guadalajara-Colima highway (Carretera Federal 54) to Jocotepec into a modern four-lane highway appears to be halted after more than two years.
Although a few short segments of the federaly-funded project are still unfinished, the updated highway is now a pleasure to travel.
For the most part, the 21-kilometers of widened roadway is now equipped with concrete median dividers, reflectors, freshly painted lane and road-edge lines, a narrow paved breakdown-lane along the perimeter, guard rails in danger spots and cement drainage ditches in the low-lying areas. Turn-offs along the highway to towns located near the foot of the mountains are well marked and include turn lanes and a series of speed bumps. Signage of upcoming towns is also posted at various points along the road.
Motorists leaving Guadalajara encounter the first stretch of the four-lane about a half kilometer beyond the highway 54 turn-off.The main section where the project has stalled is a three-kilometer stretch winding through the village of El Molino (at the bottom of the mountain pass) that is still limited to two lanes. It seems that land issues and a small dam that spills into the town may have hampered plans to fully open up the roadway or skirt the town altogether.
Another spot giving travelers cause for complaint is the unfinished overpass feeding to the west end of the Jocotepec libramiento. Drivers heading to Guadalajara are forced to navigate a short rough patch to get on and off the by-pass and save 10 to 15 minutes in travel time by circumventing downtown Jocotepec.
Project delays are attributed in part to a belated decision to modify the original plans that called only for adding paved shoulders to the two-lane road. Congressional earmarks permitted the expansion to two full extra lanes.
During President Felipe Calderon’s visit to Jalisco late last month, officials from the Federal Ministry of Communications and Transport (SCT) boasted that the current government has invested more than double the amount coughed up by the previous two administrations.
Other significant SCT projects still in progress include segments of the Guadalajara-Colima, Guadalajara-Barra de Navidad and Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta road systems, and the Santa Rosa-Ocotlan-La Barca link.