ROADIS and the Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) have signed the agreement to proceed with the construction and operation of the Monterrey-Saltillo highway extension, called the Santa Catarina Viaduct. This initiative has been made possible thanks to the close collaboration between the SCT, the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP), the Government of the State of Nuevo León, CONAGUA, SEMARNAT, local authorities and ROADIS.
The Santa Catarina Viaduct consists of the construction and operation of an extension to the highway concession by means of an elevated viaduct that has the feasibility studies and the necessary permits to coexist harmoniously with the Santa Catarina River. The Viaduct will be 7.9 km long and will span from the end of the highway to the city of Monterrey. The project will solve the problems of heavy and light road traffic congestion on the Saltillo-Monterrey toll-free road.
ROADIS is financing the project, with a total investment of MXN $7 billion (up to 330 million euros). This Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) also includes repaying the entire Subordinated Loan granted by the National Infrastructure Fund (FONADIN), (approximately MXN $2 billion), generating resources for the promotion of new social infrastructure projects in the country.
In terms of engineering, it will be one of the largest pre-fabricated works of its kind. The master plan includes the implementation of one of the world’s most advanced control centres, which will connect authorities with cutting-edge cameras to monitor the route 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Santa Catarina Viaduct will be a toll-free stretch of road and will create over 2,300 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect jobs; the project will be carried out by the local company Grupo GP, which has more than 50 years of experience in engineering and construction projects.
José Antonio Labarra, CEO of ROADIS, highlighted that: “The Santa Catarina Viaduct strengthens the confidence and long-term goals of ROADIS in Mexico. The project is a clear example of the successful collaboration between the Government and private initiative for the development of infrastructure projects in the country. The Viaduct seeks to address the challenges facing travel in the region; it is based on an in-depth study of the area’s needs and aims to improve people’s quality of life and the safety of people travelling on this strategic corridor for trade between Mexico and the United States”.