UN-Habitat delivers technical studies for the Maya Train planning in Mérida

MERIDA, YUCATAN (September 4, 2020).- Within the framework of the update of the Municipal Program for Urban Development of Mérida (PMDUM, 2017), carried out by the Municipal Planning Institute of Mérida (IMPLAN), UN-Habitat has developed technical studies regarding the Mayan Train in order to facilitate its integration in the municipal planning process and later in the metropolitan planning by the Institute of Mobility and Urban Territorial Development (IMDUT).

The UN-Habitat’s vision of “a better quality of life for all in an urbanizing world” is bold and ambitious. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination, and poverty.

The document contains an analysis of similar projects and success stories in European cities. America and Asia; a diagnosis of the city of Mérida, projections and possible impacts before the start of operations of the Maya Train; delimitation of the polygon of action -around the station and the tracks-; urban intervention guidelines to implement measures to mitigate the impact and enhance the benefits, as well as the identification of other projects around the station, such as green areas, pedestrian and service areas, among others.

The impacts derived from the route of the Maya Train and its own activity make it necessary for the municipalities located along its route to develop or update their planning instruments to adopt this new means of transportation, to guarantee that the benefits reach the entire population in the medium and long term, and make sure that the project responds to the needs of the municipalities.

In the case of Mérida, the update of the PMDU was planned prior to the presentation of the Maya Train project, although it has been used to analyze its integration into the planning process, as well as to review previous studies and projects, as well as laws and regulations for urban intervention and possible risks in terms of mobility, environmental, social and urban impact.

After being shared with IMPLAN, the studies have been incorporated as annexes to the PMDU update proposal, which is currently in the public hearings phase. Subsequently, the IMPLAN will analyze them together with the Municipal Council for Land Management, Urban Development and Housing, and subsequently send the PMDU to the Cabildo for approval, scheduled for the month of December.

In parallel to this process, Fonatur and UN-Habitat will organize citizen participation activities, in order to socialize and subsequently validate the technical studies carried out and that these are incorporated into the new PMDU of the municipality of Mérida. The first participatory process took place on August 14 in virtual mode, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic situation.

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