The bus was embedded in the back of the truck.
Redaction. – The apparent carelessness of a public transport driver left 35 injured and his bus embedded in a junkyard truck. The accident occurred during the afternoon of March 28 on the Chapala-Guadalajara highway, at the height of the so-called «curves of El Tapatío.»
According to the passengers, the driver of the C112 Agaves route was speeding and maneuvering to overtake other vehicles, but on the slope, a truck loaded with scrap metal was driving slowly because of its heavy load, so the public transport driver was unable to slow down enough to avoid the scrap metal truck and struck it from behind.
After the impact, people fell to the floor of the bus and some of them hit the seats hard enough to bend them. The passengers managed to get out of the bus and waited on the roadside for medical attention.
Translated by Sandy Britton
Jocotepec access sign is replaced
Alma Serrano (San Juan Cosalá).- The municipality of Jocotepec welcomed the Governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro Ramírez with a new sign, for his visit to the Chapala Lakeside on March 25.
Days before, state personnel went to the Chapala-Jocotepec highway at the height of La Mojonera, on the border of the town of Ajijic with San Juan Cosalá, to replace the access sign to the municipality because it was incomplete and with and outdated structure at one of the ends.
Translated by Christalle Dalsted
The bicycle path after lights were turned on Thursday, March 17. Photo: Sofía Medeles.
Sofía Medeles(Ajijic).- A week after the announcement made by the Chapala City Hall on March 17, another stretch of lights was installed along the Ajijic bike path.
Two weeks ago, the social communication department stated that the lights would be turned on from Tempisque Street to Villa Nova, however, lights are now on to the limits of the delegation, in the area known as La Cristina.
Acting delegate Maximiliano Macias Arceo said that although most of the bicycle path in Ajijic is already illuminated, some lamps need maintenance because the photocell does not work, among other minor problems.
He added that continuous maintenance will be given to both the lamps and the trees. He thanked the municipal president, Alejandro Aguirre Curiel, the director of public lighting Gil Parra, and the director of municipal services José Antonio Urzúa Gracián.
Translated by Nita Rudy
A wire fence was placed on Las Garzas street, located to the west of Ajijic, reducing its width. Photo: Sofía Medeles.
Sofía Medeles.- Residents of La Cristina, west of Ajijic, denounced the placement of a fence in the creek and in a stretch of Las Garzas Street by the owner of an adjoining lot. According to those affected, the owner of a carnitas restaurant asserts that the stream is part of his property, so he decided to put up a fence to prevent passage.
Witnesses interviewed shared that the fence was put up five months ago and originally reached behind the trees, a few centimeters from the bank of the tributary. But after last year’s October landslides, the property owner reinstalled the fence at the point where the cobblestone street ends, reducing the street to an approximate width of four to five meters. In addition, the material of the posts and the fence wire were changed.
«The space on the street has been greatly reduced. Before, two cars could pass each other without any problems. Now, if they approach each other head-on, one has to back up almost to the highway to let the other one pass. Also, if you pass by the creek, the man gets furious and says you can’t pass by there because it’s his land,» said a neighbor on Las Garzas Street.
In November 2021 the affected residents, mostly expats, gathered signatures and presented them to the City of Chapala to request that the fence be returned to its original location before the landslides.
In this regard, Ajijic acting delegate Maximiliano Macias Arceo said that he was aware of the complaints and that the report has been delegated to the Urban Development Department for review.
The property owner, besides alleging that he installed the fence to prevent access underneath the bridge and because neighbors throw garbage in the creek, says that the creek is part of his property. “The report is now in the hands of Urban Development, so that they can review the property boundaries and, in case of inappropriate expansion, the department will be in charge of realigning it,» said Macias Arceo.
According to the National Waters Law (LAN), streams and riverbeds are federal property; that is, a domain that belongs to the nation and all its inhabitants. This type of land has a buffer strip that varies from five to ten meters wide, depending on its course. To make use of these lands, a concession must be granted by the National Water Commission (CONAGUA). Privatization of these lands is considered a crime.
Translated by MaryAnne Marble
Las maniobras constantes de la maquinaria pesada en el área, bloquean por momentos uno de los carriles de la carretera provocando tráfico. Foto: Alma Serrano.
Alma Serrano.- Las obras de construcción de la ciclovía en la carretera Chapala-Jocotepec, en el tramo de la delegación de San Juan Cosalá, ha dificultado la movilidad tanto para los automovilistas como para los peatones.
Las maniobras que realizan en el área las máquinas, los camiones de volteo y las revolvedoras de cemento, bloquean por momento uno de los carriles de la vía que es muy transitada.
Las complicaciones también se extienden a los peatones, quienes tienen poco espacio para circular por las orillas, aunado al escombro generado por los trabajos que en ocasiones no es retirado por los encargados de la obra al terminar las faenas.
Además de que se dejan alambres expuestos, excavaciones sin señalamientos y herramientas de construcción, lo que ha generado que el área se vuelva peligrosa para los peatones y ciclistas, especialmente por las noches.
“No está bien que dejen escombro en la carretera porque pasan accidentes, sobre todo por las noches”, comentó una habitante transitaba por la zona.
De acuerdo con la información de la Secretaría de Infraestructura y Obra Pública de Jalisco (SIOP), el tramo de la ciclovía de San Juan Cosalá registra un avance del 85 por ciento, proyectando su conclusión para finales de marzo.
Los fines de semana, algunos conductores aprovechan el andador para estacionar sus vehículos sobre la calle Colón. Foto: Miguel Cerna.
Sofía Medeles.- Debido a que el paso peatonal de la calle Colón, en el centro de la delegación de Ajijic, es frecuentemente invadido, se replanteará el proyecto, informó el encargado de despacho, Maximiliano Macías Arceo.
Durante los fines de semana, es frecuente ver como el andador, que se extiende por Colón desde el cruce con Hidalgo, hasta el cruce con Del Paseo, no ha cumplido su propósito al no ser respetado por los turistas ni por los comercios locales.
Macías Arceo aseguró estar al tanto de que el espacio no se ha respetado durante las últimas semanas, destacando que uno de los principales problemas es la falta de agentes viales para la supervisión del área, quienes se encontraban auxiliando el turismo de Chapala y agilizando el tráfico en la carretera Chapala-Jocotepec, a la altura de Ajijic.
“Al principio funcionó muy bien y ahora está descontrolado. La gente sin pena mueve los conos y se estaciona, y como los agentes suelen estar en la zona del muelle, no se dan cuenta de estas acciones. Se va a hablar con el presidente municipal para tomar las acciones convenientes”, señaló el encargado de despacho.
Precisamente, el entrevistado comentó que con anterioridad se estaba gestionando un proyecto para colocar delimitaciones más sólidas, pero removibles en el andador, mismo que será entregado al presidente Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel para definir si se replantea el paso peatonal o se remueve.
Desde la colocación del andador en la calle Colón, en noviembre del 2021, semana a semana han aumentado las invasiones tanto por automovilistas como por los comercios. Aunado a esto, Maximiliano Macías aseguró que se han robado conos, pues de los 60 con los que se inició, a la fecha quedan aproximadamente 45.
Por otro lado, Semanario Laguna realizó entrevistas entre los turistas que rondaban la zona, los cuales expresaron no saber la finalidad de los conos, por la falta de señalética del andador, que ha generado que, en lugar de utilizarlo, transiten por plena calle para recorrer la zona centro del Pueblo Mágico.
Alma Serrano.– Since February 11, the «KPetrom» gas station, located on the Chapala-Jocotepec highway, at the crossroads of San Juan Cosalá, has been out of service, due to a workers’ strike for breach of contract.
According to the notice placed on the dispensing machines, the union of workers and employees in the commerce branch in the state of Jalisco stated that, by agreement of the extraordinary general assembly, all the workers belonging to the company have agreed to call a strike in compliance with the demands of articles 920, 18, 782, 827, 921 of the Federal Labor Law.
The owners are Bransle, S. de R.L. de C.V., which is in the business of the purchase, sale, and distribution of diesel gasoline, with service station number E11757 and permit number PL/9296/EXP/ES/2015. The legal representative is José Carlos Martín Gonzáles.
Translated by Colleen Beery
Chapala Mayor Alejandro Aguirre Curiel (left), with Congresswoman Claudia Murguía Torres and the Chief of the State Cabinet, Hugo Luna, after the mayor was informed of the repair approval.
Editor. – Chapala Municipal President Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel has announced approval of a Renovation of Urban Image project for the main street in downtown Chapala. Plans call for cobblestones to be replaced with hydraulic cement. Sidewalks and curbs will also be improved.
“I am very pleased that after presenting joint work projects with the government of Jalisco and the municipality, and thanks to the management of Congresswoman Claudia Murguía Torres, today the Chief of State Cabinet, Hugo Luna, has confirmed to me that the projects were accepted,” Aguirre posted on social networks.
“One of the most important projects is the renovation of Avenida Madero. The cobblestone will be replaced by hydraulic concrete, plus the sidewalks and curbs will be replaced,” he added in his March 2 posting.
In his message he thanked Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez and assured that, “with this support and coordinated work our city and delegations will have better infrastructure that will be good for tourism in the state.”
Chapala Director of Social Communication Elizabeth Oropeza said the municipality is waiting for the state’s Secretary of Infrastructure and Public Works to present the project, which will be adapted by the state agency to the needs of the population.
Translated by Mike Rogers
Nighttime view on the bicycle path near Villa Nova driving west of Ajijic Photo: Sofía Medeles.
Sofia Medeles (Chapala).- Lighting will be completed along the bicycle path in Ajijic from Tempisque Street to Villa Nova, said Maximiliano Macias Arceo, who oversees the delegation office.
Last week, public lighting personnel from Chapala evaluated the lighting, wiring and material needs for lights to be installed along the bicycle path.
The Director of Social Communication, Elizabeth Oropeza Silva, added that the agency is already working on connecting the lights, and that the work will be completed this week. She stated that the lighting has been completed from Francisco I. Madero Avenue at its intersection with Hidalgo Avenue, in the municipal capital, to the Chapala-Jocotepec highway, at its intersection with Tempisque Street where the streetlights end.
There have been frequent daily complaints on social networks from citizens wondering why it has taken so long to connect the lights since the work appears finished.
Semanario Laguna made a tour of the area observing that it is quite dark. Cyclists who were passing through the area said they had very limited vision and felt they were at risk of being in an accident.
«From the three bridges it is already very dark and dangerous, because on this side people use the bike path as a sidewalk. They don’t see us, and we don’t see them. There have already been cases of bicycles colliding with pedestrians, but there hasn’t been a major accident. An accident could happen, because someone trying to dodge could get into the road and another accident could occur. Hopefully the authorities will act soon,» shared Andrés, a native of Ajijic, who frequently uses the bicycle path.
The Jalisco government has been in charge of the bicycle path construction that began in October 2019. The first stage of 8 kilometers from Chapala and to Ajijic was delivered in August 2020 with an investment of 58 million pesos.
Translated by Nita Rudy
El tráfico en la carretera Chapala-Jocotepec, a la altura del centro de Ajijic, es una constante, especialmente los fines de semana. Foto: Sofía Medeles.
Sofía Medeles.- En las últimas semanas, el tráfico ha saturado la Delegación de Ajijic, tanto en la carretera Chapala-Jocotepec, como en la calle Ocampo.
Esta situación está pasando de ser un problema de días festivos y fines de semana a uno cotidiano, dificultando el tránsito en automóvil a quienes residen en la población.
Conductores consultados afirmaron que cada vez es más difícil manejar en el Pueblo Mágico, especialmente en horas pico.
“Normalmente, desde las 2:00 de la tarde hasta las 4:00, la carretera se llena de carros desde La Floresta y se empieza a hacer más fluido el tráfico más o menos en Villa Nova (en Chapala). El problema se da en La Floresta, donde todos empiezan a salir a los laterales, y cuando se van a meter, hacen un nudo. Luego en Ocampo y Guadalupe Victoria, también se hace un pasadero de carros, ni se diga en Colón. No sé de dónde salen tantos carros y no veo solución al problema”, aseveró Luis, habitante de Ajijic.
Cuando la carga vehicular se intensifica en la carretera, los automovilistas optan por cruzar la delegación por las calles aledañas, principalmente la Ocampo, sin embargo, habitantes de la delegación también mencionaron la Colón, Zaragoza, Juárez y Guadalupe Victoria.
Por otro lado, los peatones entrevistados expresaron que los carros y las motocicletas circulan a alta velocidad en horas de tráfico, dificultando el cruce en las esquinas y poniendo en riesgo tanto a otros conductores como a los habitantes.
“Los niños aquí en la cuadra salen a jugar, además hay varios perros. Los carros que van muy rápido no se detienen a ver quién está o quién se puede cruzar, piensan que van por la carretera. Dicen que el atoradero de carros es por los semáforos que no están sincronizados, y si es eso, deberían intervenir rápido las autoridades, porque no solo es el tráfico, pueden perjudicar a las personas que andan por las calles”, compartió Fany.
Asimismo, otros de los problemas mencionado por los entrevistados, es el nudo de autos que se hace en los cruces con la carretera, por ejemplo, en el cruce de la calle Revolución, donde los autos se empiezan a incorporar en la carretera, tras cruzar La Floresta por la lateral, o en la calle Aldama, donde empiezan a subir los autos que cruzaron por las calles.
Otro nativo del poblado de nombre Antonio, comentó que hace algunos años eran problemas que se veían solo en días de vacaciones o cuando había festividades, pero a partir del nombramiento de Pueblo Mágico, se empezó a hacer algo cotidiano, además de mencionar problemas como las largas filas en horas pico y autos de visitantes que van en sentido contrario por las calles.
Por su parte, la directora de Comunicación Social de Chapala, Elizabeth Oropeza Silva, comentó que debido a que la carretera es estatal, lo que han estado haciendo para optimizar este problema es pedir apoyo del Gobierno del Estado, para que los apoye con más unidades y agentes viales. Además, descartó que el problema sea por los semáforos debido a que, a finales de año, se les dio mantenimiento y se les sincronizó.
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