The Prolongación de Paseo de Montejo faces daily traffic problems and high rental costs that are slowly killing its economy.
Last year, the doctor in industrial robotics Luis Alberto Muñoz Ubando in an article titled “Prolongación de Paseo de Montejo, between being sold and rented, while it is abandoned”, expressed his concern for the future of the Prolongación Paseo de Montejo, an area that in his opinion has daily traffic problems, does not generate interest in tourists and feature absurd high rents for its commercial premises.
The scientist’s vision coincides with that of the manager of the micro-business “Chelo’s Polcanes”, located on the corner of that avenue with 3rd street in the Campestre subdivision, about the serious problems of the sector.
In an interview at his premises, Nardy Várguez Basto said that as a result of the construction of the exclusive lane for public transport Va y Ven, many people pass by, and they no longer stop as before to eat the snacks they sell every day.
The problem, she explained, is that customers cannot find a place to park because the exclusive lane for public transportation runs right next to the business, and blocking it is prohibited.
Those who like these snacks order them by phone for pick-up or delivery or they have to find a space to leave their car on the adjacent streets, but in most cases, the residences have signs saying no parking.
“The fact that public transportation passes by has been very detrimental to us as customers cannot park their vehicles, not even for a few minutes,” she said.
“There have been times when buses that pass in the exclusive lane hit the motorcycles or bicycles parked to place their order. They do not respect or forgive the fact that they occupy the lane, there have been cases where the bus itself pushes cars or threatens to crash into them,” she continued.
Prolongación Paseo Montejo: before and after
She also said that before the exclusive lanes of the Va y Ven, which were implemented by the government of Mauricio Vila Dosal, motorists were able to park next to the sidewalk, which allowed the clients to eat and leave.
“We were doing quite well, the truth is there were more clients,” she said. “We sold 80% of the food we prepare, now we sell 60% on weekends when we are doing well and 50% during the week. Our clientele dropped significantly just because of the parking problem.”
Another problem that strongly affects the businesses installed on the edge of both sides of the Prolongación del Paseo de Montejo is the rent of premises because it is extremely high and many times this expense forces the business to close.
How much is the rent in Prolongación del Paseo de Montejo?
The tenants pay rents that fluctuate between 50,000 and 150,000 pesos a month or more depending on the size of the premises, or if it has a mini-parking lot.
As a result of the exclusive lanes for public transport, the economic situation of many businesses has worsened due to the impact on customers or because they are not allowed to carry out loading or unloading maneuvers from suppliers.
For the sake of better urban coexistence, tenants would like the lanes reserved for public transport to allow private vehicles to park for a few minutes. They can easily get around the vehicle and continue on their route, but this does not happen. The reality is that these lanes are killing businesses on this avenue.
Diversity of businesses in Prolongación Paseo de Montejo
Along the Prolongación Paseo de Montejo, from the Monumento a la Patria to the Gonzalo Guerrero roundabout, which is where the diversity of businesses of all types is concentrated, there are 19 shopping plazas with small parking lots.
Passing the Gonzalo Guerrero roundabout, the mosaic of businesses is of greater added value because large shopping plazas predominate, with ample parking, hotels, the Great Museum of the Mayan World, the offices of the Maya Train, and the residential and commercial development Via Montejo.
The businesses on the Paseo de Montejo Extension range from bakeries, restaurants, taco shops, car dealerships, multi-story luxury hotels, banks and office buildings, bookstores, gas stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, and Chinese product stores.
There are also shoe stores, medical laboratories, tire shops, hardware stores, insurance companies, a meat distributor, a mechanic’s shop, a car wash, and a prestigious private school.
A tour of the Prolongacion Paseo de Montejo confirmed Dr. Alberto Muñoz’s theory about the large number of businesses that are for rent, for sale, or closed.
The most emblematic sector that has suffered from the change in traffic since 2011 was the intersection where the tunnel known as the “underpass” was forcibly built.
The restaurants, businesses, and homes surrounding this roundabout have been closed for some time. Only the fast-food restaurant Burger King, a small hotel, a cell phone office, a pharmacy, a bar, and some businesses survive.
Another commercial dead spot is right in front of the Country Club. Most of the businesses in this space are closed or for rent. Another spot with low activity is located near the corner of Villas del Sol Avenue with Prolongación where there is a row of closed businesses with for sale or rent signs.
And as Dr. Muñoz Ubando described, the sidewalks of this avenue are deserted, with no people walking through the businesses during the day and even less at night.
With information from yucatan.com.mx
TYT Newsroom
