Road chaos is an increasingly common problem for both motorists and pedestrians
Traffic on the Chapala-Jocotepec highway through downtown Ajijic, is constant, especially on weekends. Photo: Sofía Medeles.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- In recent weeks, traffic has jammed Ajijic, both on the Chapala-Jocotepec highway and on Ocampo Street.
This situation has gone from being a holiday and weekend problem to a daily one, making it difficult for those who live in the town to travel by car. Drivers interviewed by Laguna stated that it is becoming increasingly difficult to drive in the Pueblo Mágico, especially during rush hour.
«Normally, from 2:00 in the afternoon until 4:00 pm, the road fills up with cars from La Floresta and traffic starts to become more difficult in Villa Nova (in Chapala). The problem occurs in La Floresta, where everyone starts using the breakdown lane, and when they try to get back into the regular traffic lane, they cause a small jam. Then on Ocampo and Guadalupe Victoria, there is also a traffic jam, not to mention Colón. I don’t know where so many cars come from and I don’t see a solution to the problem,» said Luis, a resident of Ajijic.
When the vehicle load intensifies on the highway, motorists opt to cross the delegation through the surrounding streets, mainly Ocampo, however, Ajijic residents also mentioned Colón, Zaragoza, Juárez and Guadalupe Victoria as shortcuts now being used to avoid the Carretera..
On the other hand, pedestrians interviewed complained that cars and motorcycles move at high speed during traffic hours, making it difficult to cross at corners and putting both other drivers and residents at risk.
«The children here on the block go out to play, plus there are several dogs. Cars going very fast don’t stop to see who is in the street or who might cross, they think they are going down the road. They say that the traffic jam is due to the traffic lights that are not synchronized, and if that is the case, the authorities should intervene quickly, because it is not only the traffic, they can harm the people who walk on the streets», said Fany, an Ajijic resident.
Director of Social Communication of Chapala Elizabeth Oropeza Silva ruled out that the problem is due to the traffic lights, since they were all repaired and synchronized at the end of the year.
Other problems mentioned by those interviewed include the knot of cars at the intersections with the highway, for example, at the intersection of Revolucion Street, where cars start to merge into the highway after crossing La Floresta on the side, or on Aldama Street.
Another native of the town, Antonio, commented that some years ago these were problems that were seen only on vacations or when there were festivities, but since the appointment of Pueblo Mágico, it began to become a daily occurrence, in addition to mentioning problems such as long lines at rush hour and cars of visitors that drive the wrong way through the streets.
Director of Social Communication of Chapala Elizabeth Oropeza Silva, commented that since the Carretera is a state highway, the Chapala government has been requesting more support from the State Government in the form of more traffic police cars and police directing traffic.
Translated by Patrick O’Heffernan
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