Photos of the collapse of a section of the Siglo XXI highway in Michoacán

After last May 26, Civil Protection of Michoacán reported a 150 meter crack at kilometer 148 + 400 of the Siglo XXI Highway, at the height of the town of Santa Casilda-Cuatro Caminos.

This Saturday morning the section collapsed due to a collapse of the structure, so the road will remain closed indefinitely.

This was reported by the National Guard (GN) Roads around 10:00 in the morning through his Twitter account:

“Attention in Michoacán, a road device is implemented due to the closure of circulation in both directions after damage to the structure of the asphalt layer km 148 + 480 highway (2755) Uruapan-Lázaro Cárdenas (Direct) Entrance Pátzcuaro Uruapan-Lázaro Cárdenas, same section.”

It was inaugurated in May 2005 with an investment of more than 2,756 million pesos.

Residents of the area shared on social networks photographs of the dramatic incident, as if a strong earthquake had happened; However, so far the authorities do not report injuries or victims to regret.

For its part, the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT) has not yet issued an official report on the causes of the structural failure.

However, it is presumed that the Francisco J. Mujica dam, built in the governments of Leonel Godoy, could be related to the bridge fracture, since it has generated instability in the structures by the excess moisture.

Given this, the authorities and the company in charge of the highway determined the following provisions:

The total closure of the highway in the affected section as of today, for a period not yet determined, to carry out the corresponding revision and repair work. It is worth mentioning that when the scream was detected, State Civil Protection indicated the closure for its repair was going to be extended from 10 to 15 days.

Civil Protection personnel analyzing the 150 meter long crack.

The passage of heavy freight vehicles and buses on the Uruapan-Cuatro Caminos free highway, to get back on the highway.

For small vehicles, your access will be through remote toll plaza of Santa Casilda towards Gabriel Zamora.

The alternate paths are being traced by the highway personnel, which will be announced by means of signs, by the personnel of the toll stations and with the support of the National Guard.

Finally, the Government Secretariat reiterated its call to take the necessary precautions in the area and report any incident to the 911 phone number.

The Siglo XXI Highway, from 62 kilometers long, joins Pátzcuaro, Uruapan and Lázaro Cárdenas. Begun in November 1995, during Ernesto Zedillo’s six-year term, it was intended to be concluded in 2000, however due to various delays and technical complications, it was inaugurated on May 11, 2005, by the then president of Mexico Vicente Fox Quesada, and the Governor of Michoacán, Lázaro Cárdenas Batel.

This highway boosted the growth of freight transport; and the movement of containers and cargo to and from the center and Bajío of Mexico multiplied exponentially, due to the connection that this port generated with the Asia-Pacific zone, the United States, Canada and Latin America.

It was also a great boost for the tourist port of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo that benefited from the increase in tourists from the states of Michoacán, Guanajuato, Querétaro and Jalisco.