Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – Pablo Lemus Navarro, the governor-elect of Jalisco, recently announced plans to begin construction of a modern roundabout at the Las Juntas intersection in January 2025. This junction serves as a critical access and exit point between Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas.
During his tour of Puerto Vallarta, Lemus emphasized that the first 150 million pesos in the 2025 budget will be allocated to this project. “This initiative fulfills the commitments made during the campaign. Our goal is to improve road distribution at this complex intersection, particularly the access from Nayarit to Puerto Vallarta International Airport,” he stated.
While specific details of the project remain unclear, the new road node is expected to ease traffic between Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas. Currently, congestion at the Las Juntas intersection often leads to significant delays, affecting traffic flow on Hwy 200 on the Nayarit side.
The road node may be designed as either an elevated or depressed structure and could include improvements like additional lanes or a faster crossing without traffic lights. However, concerns remain about managing traffic flow during construction, as there are limited alternative routes if entry and exit lanes to Puerto Vallarta are blocked, likely resulting in months of increased congestion and prolonged traffic jams.
Additionally, Lemus mentioned the proposed Federación Bridge, which will be managed by Puerto Vallarta’s mayor-elect, Luis Munguía, in coordination with the federal government. However, specific timelines for this project have not been established.
The planned improvements at the Las Juntas intersection and the future Federación Bridge highlight ongoing efforts to address Puerto Vallarta’s traffic challenges and improve connectivity between Jalisco and Nayarit. While these projects promise to enhance road infrastructure and ease congestion, local authorities will need to carefully manage the construction phases to minimize disruptions. The successful completion of these initiatives could significantly boost accessibility and support the region’s continued growth and development.