iRAP Strategic Projects Director Julio Urzua and Senior Road Safety Engineer Agustin Centeno with the IDEAL team

IDEAL has achieved iRAP Certification recognising the road safety of three of its Mexican assets – Coatzacoalcos Tunnel, Autopista Urbana Sur, and the Macrotunel in Acapulco – surpassing the minimum global safety standard of 3-star or better for vehicle occupants.

IDEAL is a leading infrastructure company in Mexico and Latin America, involved in the design, development, financing and maintenance of infrastructure projects, as well as the management and operation of the concessions in which they participate.

Currently IDEAL is participating in multiple highway concession projects covering nearly 1,700 km, three multimodal transportation terminals managing a flow of around 800,000 passengers per day, two wastewater plants, and electronic toll collection through its subsidiary Pase Servicios.

Coatzacoalcos Tunnel, Autopista Urbana Sur, and the Macrotunel in Acapulco were star rated using the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Star Rating methodology.

iRAP certification evaluates road infrastructure according to global safety standards, assigning a score from 1 to 5 stars. Each improvement in road rating – for example, from 2 to 3 stars – can reduce fatalities by up to 50 percent.

The results show the assessed road length of the concessions achieved a 3-star or better safety rating for vehicle occupants, aligned to Global Road Safety Targets. Infrastructure that achieves 3 stars or more is significantly safer, helping to save lives and reduce road traffic injuries.

ABOUT THE CONCESSIONS

Coatzacoalcos Tunnel

The Coatzacoalcos Tunnel is strategically located and important for the flow of goods between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and for the development of southeastern Mexico, home to the largest oil and petrochemical industries facilities in Latin America.

At 828 meters deep and 1.14km long, the Coatzacoalcos Tunnel consists of four lanes connecting from the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos River in the Gulf of Mexico to the town of Villa Allende.

The tunnel’s submerged design is recognised for its technical innovation in the field of construction. Whilst it created the least impact on urban surroundings, it presented the highest degree of construction difficulty.

Submerged sections of the tunnel were constructed by prefabricating reinforced concrete sections in a dry dock, preparing them for flotation, towing them and placing them at the bottom of the seabed without the need to use special subsurface drilling machinery.

Equipped with advanced safety and control systems for efficient management and user safety, the Coatzacoalcos Tunnel is significantly reducing travel time between the city of Coatzacoalcos and the Allende district, from about an hour to just five minutes.

Macrotunel in Acapulco

The city and seaport of Acapulco is one of Mexico’s most important tourist destinations. The land route between Acapulco Bay and the airport is 12 km long and follows the Acapulco Scenic Highway but severe traffic congestion caused long delays. The Macrotunel was built through a state concession, and joint effort between federal, state, and private sector entities. The 3.3km reduced travel time from two hours to just four minutes when passing through the tunnel, and lowered environmental pollution, crashes, and operating costs; increasing comfort for road users.

Autopista Urbana Sur

Autopista Urbana Sur serves as one of the main transit corridors connecting the southern districts with Mexico City. It offers a faster route compared to local roads and blends engineering, environmental planning, and urban mobility goals to help solve one of Mexico City’s biggest problems: traffic.

Santiago Córdoba García, Director of Operations for IDEAL said, “We are delighted to achieve iRAP Certification on these important road infrastructure assets in Mexico. IDEAL aims to lead in the development of innovative infrastructure projects, and this recognition exemplifies our commitment to deliver safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable journeys aligned to the highest of international standards.

“Despite obtaining three IRAP stars in three concessions, efforts and investments will be made in the coming years to achieve three stars across the entire IDEAL motorway network with the aim of creating a safe road network and reducing crashes and road hazards.”

iRAP CEO Greg Smith said, “We commend IDEAL on achieving iRAP certification. Achieving a 3-star or better road infrastructure safety standard aligns to sustainable transport goals and the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety to halve road deaths and injuries by 2030.”

About iRAP Certification

iRAP Star Rating Certification can be produced for any existing, upgraded or new road, or road design, that has been assessed using iRAP tools as achieving a 3-star or better.

Certification is voluntary and may be requested for any or all road user groups for which a Star Rating has been produced (vehicle occupants, motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists).

As road owners, investors and designers increasingly seek to support the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, official certification provides a communications opportunity to celebrate the achievement of a Star Rating target and formally verify the status of a road or design.

For more information on iRAP Certification, click here.

Images credit: iRAP