Today, ITDP Mexico presented a proposal to build new integrated public transport routes throughout Mexico City and the surrounding area. With this project, the region would gain 29 new BRT routes, nearly 500 additional kilometers of Metrobús and Mexibús corridors (the city and state BRT systems), and bring the benefits of BRT to 7.5 million new passengers daily.

Across Mexico, there is still a social stigma that affects the use of public transit. Some are concerned that it doesn’t reach everywhere they may want to go, that it is dirty, or poorly maintained. The new ITDP Mexico proposal would change that perception of public transit in Mexico. The accessibility, efficiency, and comfort of the new public transportation network would transform both the image of the city and the lives of millions of users.

“Beyond simply increasing the use [of public transit] by connecting different lines, a key advantage of this proposal is the low cost that would be paid for implementation”,  said Karina Licea, Mass Transport Projects Coordinator for ITDP Mexico, comparing the plans for new BRT with the high costs of construction for metro or light rail lines.

The proposal, “Projected 2024 Demand for Mass Transport Systems in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico”, was formally presented today in Mexico City, and presents 29 new BRT corridors to be built by 2024. Using expected traffic demand analyses, population and land use considerations, ITDP Mexico identified routes that would improve connectivity and living conditions in greater Mexico City.

The proposal includes a plan for an efficient mass transport system through Mexico City’s central avenue, Paseo de la Reforma. According to Ulises Navarro, Public Transport Director for ITDP Latin America, “Paseo de la Reforma, along with Insurgentes [Avenue], brings passengers to the heart of the employment district in the Valley of Mexico. As we see an increase in office towns in the area, there is an implied increase in trips. This is why we need to improve accessibility.”

ITDP Mexico now looks to government actors in the State of Mexico and the Federal District to work together to benefit more than 20 million residents of the Metropolitan Zone.

Download the proposal presentation and executive summary here (in Spanish), and join the discussion on Twitter with #MásMexiMetrobús.