The Government of Jalisco, in coordination with municipal authorities, will soon begin reconstruction work on state highway 401 that connects Sayula with Zapotlán el Grande, a road that was affected by a crack that arose at kilometer 68 + 200, and was accentuated after heavy rains.
With the aim of being able to reopen the road and not continue to affect the connectivity or the economy of the region, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works (SIOP) will initiate a series of actions at the points where different cracks were formed due to a Hydrogeological failure that forced the total closure of the section:
- Fill the main hole.
- Desilting and lining the existing fissure.
- Demolition and reconstruction of a bridge at the stream crossing.
- Lining the fissure with masonry.
- Rehabilitation of pavement with a length of 90 m; includes sewer with two exits.
- Construction of a new storm sewer.
- Channeling of storm sewers.
These repairs will have an estimated duration of three weeks, and involve an investment of 10 million pesos.
The works not only intend to consolidate the largest crack, 1.6 km long by 19 meters deep, but will also take care of other smaller cracks formed in the same span.
"These repairs are not going to be as intense as the big one, but we are going to raise the structure, we are going to make a homologation of the layer in such a way that we seal the fissure," explained Salvador Hernández Jiménez, general director of Engineering Projects of SIOP, an agency that on Thursday June 24 made a tour to determine the plan of action.
Hernández Jiménez recalled that, in a private orchard located at that point, a canal was built in the wrong direction, causing the water to overflow and flood the area. So the first action that the SIOP will execute will be to fill it with a material, seal it completely, and prevent water from running back onto the road.
State 401 is one of the main commercial corridors through which merchandise is transferred to distribute it to the rest of the state and the country. The area is also known because there are berry and avocado orchards.
Since the failure was detected on May 10, the SIOP, Civil Protection, the Ministry of Public Security, the Sayula Government, and qualified experts have maintained a permanent surveillance and monitoring protocol.
In order to safeguard the integrity of the population, said stretch of road will remain closed for the next few weeks. Citizens are asked to take the alternate route through state 422 Sayula-Usmajac, which the SIOP will maintain in adequate conditions, as well as stay informed through official channels and, in case of detecting an extraordinary situation, call 911.