The movement of goods in Mexico places ever greater demands on the road network; from the perspective of carriers, it requires not only conservation, but also greater capacity, new projects, safety conditions and spaces to sustain the operation of road transport .
Infrastructure is thus positioned as a strategic piece for supply chains , particularly given the opportunity the sector sees for Mexico to strengthen its position as an international logistics hub .
The challenge lies in ensuring that the roads meet the needs of an operation that demands the capacity to move a greater number of units and reduce travel times between origin and destination.
“Today we do not have the dimensions in the road infrastructure for the number of units that the market is growing and demanding,” said Edgar Zamorano, secretary of the Border Commission of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) , when addressing the needs that freight transportation currently faces.
The trucker’s assessment comes as the federal government continues to pursue various highway projects. According to figures from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) , previously reported by T21, a public and private investment of 647.832 billion pesos is planned for the period 2025-2030 to improve 11,366 kilometers of roads and highways .
Of that total area, 4,223 kilometers are under construction and 1,796 kilometers have been completed . This is in addition to joint investment projects and highway infrastructure works planned for the remainder of the six-year term.
Capacity for increased demand
For the trucking industry , the challenge is not limited to the physical condition of the roads. Zamorano argued that if Mexico seeks to capitalize on its opportunity to become an international logistics hub , the infrastructure must be prepared for the demands of that growth.
Among the requirements he mentioned were improving communication routes, providing rest areas for operators , and incorporating technology that contributes to traceability and allows for reducing travel times between origin and destination, as well as during the review processes.
“We need wider roads, we need roads with shorter stretches, with greater safety for both the operator and the road users,” Zamorano said.
This proposal is particularly relevant given the resources allocated for highway infrastructure. In the 2027 Federal Expenditure Budget Project (PPEF) , the proposed allocation for highways and roads amounts to 24,121.2 million pesos , while 3,598.8 million pesos are earmarked for bridges and interchanges .
However, from the transport sector, the discussion goes beyond the budgeted amount: it also encompasses the application of those resources and the need to develop additional infrastructure.
Not just maintain, but also build
According to Edgar Martínez Chavero, director of Transportes Hernie , the resources allocated to highways may prove insufficient to meet existing needs, although he emphasized the importance of their effective application.
“It could be insufficient, it could be a low amount for what is needed,” said Martínez Chavero, who considered that the resources should translate into better conditions for the roads.
But for the carrier, maintaining the existing network is only one part of the country’s infrastructure needs.
“We ask the federal government to find ways to develop new highway projects, because the country’s infrastructure already needs them,” Martínez said.
From his perspective, the key issue will be ensuring that the resources allocated for maintenance actually reach the roads. “The important thing is that they allocate the funds and use them,” he stated.
The needs identified aim both to improve the conditions of the existing network and to develop new infrastructure that responds to the demand of road transport.
The challenge takes on a logistical dimension : given the capacity needs of the sector, the infrastructure will have to support the movement of goods with roads, rest areas, security and conditions that allow for reduced travel times and maintain the continuity of supply chains.
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