Traffic in Mérida has become one of the main urban problems due to the growth of the urban area and the increase in the vehicle registry.
Researchers from the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) estimate that there are currently more than 800 thousand vehicles circulating in the Yucatecan capital, which causes traffic jams, longer travel times, and congested streets.
According to the “Global Traffic Scorecard 2023” report by INRIX Research, Mérida is among the 10 cities with the worst traffic in Mexico, along with Mexico City, Tijuana, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Toluca, Cuernavaca, Culiacán, San Luis Potosí and Tlaxcala.
The study also revealed that a driver in Mérida loses an average of 19 hours a year stuck in traffic, placing it in 480th place worldwide.
The problem of traffic congestion affects even more those who use public transportation. While a car trip can take just over an hour during rush hour, bus or minivan users can require up to two hours or more to get from one point to another.
In addition, many people must take two or more routes, which increases travel times by up to three and a half hours in some cases, making daily mobility in the city difficult, becoming a problem that impacts the quality of life of the inhabitants.
To improve this situation, urban planning strategies, improvements in public transportation, and sustainable mobility alternatives are required to reduce dependence on automobiles and optimize travel times in the Yucatecan capital.
