Saturday, June 14, 2008

New Highway to MLM airport revisited

 

Airport Highway 6-08 004

I was pleasantly surprised this morning when I took a ride out towards Charo to see how the construction was coming along on the new toll road to Morelia's airport,  and extending to connect to the Mexico City-Guadalajara autopista.   To see how it looked last February,  click here

The construction workers that I spoke with told me it will be open by the middle of July,  and I tend to believe them.   There is still work to be done,   mainly cosmetic on the access ramps,  painting,  rock falling areas,  and toll booths.   I was able to drive it all the way from its start near Ciudad Industrial out to the Mexico city toll road.  Here are a few observations:

It is a two lane highway,  but has large shoulders,  very similar to the toll highway to Lazaro Cardenas and Ixtapa.    Those who are not familiar with these Mexican autopistas can get a chuckle by visiting Mickey Dick's peeks at Highway Lunacy .

 

Airport Highway 6-08 016

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airport Highway 6-08 017

(click on photos to enlarge)

(above) Here is the start,  the bridge over the DF-Guadalajara toll road (right).  30 kilometers from Avenida Camelinas at the Charo exit.  In the photo at the left,  you can see the toll booth being built in the distant,  those only going to the airport will just pay one toll,  but if you are heading to Chilangolandia or Tapatiaville,  double whammy on the tolls.  What?  You were thinking the owners (guess who) were building this highway for the common good?

 

Airport Highway 6-08 013

 

After a short jaunt of 4.5 KMs,  you pass the runway to MLM (above).   The control tower can be seen in the distance,  this old passenger jet must of got lost in the fog a few years back.

 

Airport Highway 6-08 011

For those of you who ever had the thrill of driving or riding in a bus from Mexico City to Morelia before the toll road opened,  you will be happy to note,  that once again,  you will pass the sleepy little town of Charo.   When I was dating my better half,  and taking the all nighter on ETN bus lines from Acapulco to Morelia.   I  remember seeing the steeple on the main church at Charo,  thinking,  yahoo,  I am almost there.

 

Airport Highway 6-08 014

  I don't know about these distances,  I guess they could be accurate.  If so,  we are only 2 hours away from both Guadalajara y Mexico city,    This sign is directly across from the runway at MLM.   It seems that we are getting closer and closer to Mexico city.   First they re-routed traffic so we no longer have to traverse Toluca,  now we can hook up to the Autopista Guad-Mexico well east of Lake Cuitzeo.  

Although a sign near the first toll booth read 50 kms to Morelia.    I measured  30 kilometers to Camelinas....if it is 20 kilometers from Camelinas to the historic center of Morelia,  I'll eat my sombrero.     Sometimes I think tequila plays a part in these sign postings.  (sign in photo says 245 kms to Mexico,  and 230 km to Guadalajara)

 

Airport Highway 6-08 020

(above)  At about 23 kms from where we started,  is the second toll and the exit for Bosques at Ciudad Tres Marias.      In the photo you can see the corporate office of Posadas de Mexico.    We are only about 7 kms from Camelinas avenue here.

 

Airport Highway 6-08 018

Airport Highway 6-08 006

These are 2 of the more scenic vistas along the way,  Ciudad Industrial,  and the new sewerage treatment plant.  (Editor's note:  sarcasm intended)

 

 

With the exception of the above,  this entrance from the airport should make for a much better first impression of Morelia and Michoacan.    Let's face it,  coming in to Morelia from the north on the old road was not showing off our city's best angle.

5 comments:

Michael Dickson said...

Mickey Dick??!! It´s good that I´m not a sensitive soul.

Nice update on the highway.

Anonymous said...

Even the sewage treatment plant is more scenic than what we have now between the airport and Morelia.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update! I'm looking forward to the opening of the new road. Hooray! No more topes!

Anonymous said...

I enjoy your thorough and interesting posts.

I am originally from Morelia, lived in NYC for 10 years and just recently moved back to Mexico City. I go to Morelia about a couple of times a month to visit family.

I have often wondered the reason that Morelia has not received a larger inflow of US and Canadian expats. I am also somewhat at a loss of why the local government and the large developpers aren't doing more to promote the city abroad as a retirement haven. Full disclosure: I am a small scale investor in home building in Morelia (my side business) and my family has significant land holdings in the city, so my opinion is not completely selfless, but I think it would make all the sense in the world: How much does the average tourist spend on a stay? US$2,000?? I bet a full time retiree would be spending at least US$20,000 a year or a multiple of that.

I would be interested in your insights on this issue and what could be done to change this.

Raymundo said...

Hi there all. Tony, you will be very close to the airport now from Bosques, probably only 10 minutes or so. Anonymous, I would be happy to respond to your post, but please send me an email to my posted address that I can respond to. Thanks, Ray