Morelia Bypass

64.1 km

LENG

VIADUCTS

TUNNEL

Part of Mexico’s Siglo XXI Highway, which connects Patzcuaro, Uruapan, and Lazaro Cardenas in the state of Michoacan, the Morelia Bypass is one of the country’s most outstanding engineering works in recent years.

Mexico

Location

Construction

Type of contract

Azvi

Description

Azvi was responsible for the construction of this newly aligned 64.1 km section, with a carriageway width of 12 m: two traffic lanes (one in each direction) plus hard shoulders.

Skirting around the city of Morelia, the bypass connects the Port of Lazaro Cardenas, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, and Federal Highway 15D, the main route linking Mexico City with Guadalajara and Hermosillo, before continuing north to Nogales and the United States border, without the need to pass through the city.

Key works

• 3 viaducts with a total length of 642 m and 2 bridges with a total length of 144 m.
• 1 tunnel of 391 m.
• 21 underpass structures.
• 10 overpass structures, including the construction of 1 railway overpass.
• 3 interchanges.
• 2 main toll plazas and 2 auxiliary toll booths.
• Installation of ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) along the entire section and S.O.S. posts every 2.5 km.

Main Achievements

The most complex area of the project is where the three viaducts, the “Las Cascadas” tunnel, and a mechanically stabilised 15-metre-high wall are located.

The Las Cascadas tunnel has a volume of 45,000 m³ and a 125 m² excavation section, carried out using the New Austrian Tunnelling Methodfrom a single face.

The Hornos IV viaduct has a length of 204 m, deep foundations with 15 piles per pile cap, and rectangular piers reaching a maximum height of 57 m.

The El Nispo viaduct has a length of 317 m. It features shallow footing foundations measuring 12 × 11 × 2 m. The piers have the same characteristics as those in the Hornos IV viaduct and reach a maximum height of 55 m.

The spring embankment was one of the greatest challenges of the entire bypass project. With a length of 600 m, a maximum base width of 125 m, and a height of 38 m, it represented a major technical challenge for the construction team.

A total of 1.5 million m³ of embankment was executed in 6 months.

Azvi

Related projects

Previous Tapachula–Talismán Highway Next Michoacan Highway Package

Morelia Bypass

Azvi

Description

Key works

Main Achievements

The most complex area of the project is where the three viaducts, the “Las Cascadas” tunnel, and a mechanically stabilised 15-metre-high wall are located.

The Las Cascadas tunnel has a volume of 45,000 m³ and a 125 m² excavation section, carried out using the New Austrian Tunnelling Methodfrom a single face.

The Hornos IV viaduct has a length of 204 m, deep foundations with 15 piles per pile cap, and rectangular piers reaching a maximum height of 57 m.

The El Nispo viaduct has a length of 317 m. It features shallow footing foundations measuring 12 × 11 × 2 m. The piers have the same characteristics as those in the Hornos IV viaduct and reach a maximum height of 55 m.

The spring embankment was one of the greatest challenges of the entire bypass project. With a length of 600 m, a maximum base width of 125 m, and a height of 38 m, it represented a major technical challenge for the construction team.

A total of 1.5 million m³ of embankment was executed in 6 months.

Azvi

Related projects

La Pitahaya Highway | San Luis Potosí Bypass

Mérida–Campeche Highway

Michoacan Highway Package

Tapachula–Talismán Highway

Don-Nogales Highway

Jala–Puerto Vallarta Highway