Roosevelt Avenue Overpass Nears July Completion in Guatemala City

Guatemala City's traffic flow is set to see significant changes with the upcoming completion of a new overpass on Roosevelt Avenue and 9th Avenue in Zone 11. The Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure, and Housing (CIV) anticipates the project's opening in July. This new infrastructure promises to create a direct link between zones 11, 7, and 3, a crucial development for one of the capital's most congested areas.

The Metropolitan Regulatory Entity for Transport and Traffic (EMETRA) is already planning a series of road adjustments to manage the anticipated increase in traffic. The primary goal is to reduce congestion at El Trébol, a notoriously overloaded traffic interchange where four major arteries converge: Roosevelt Avenue (90,000 vehicles daily), Bolívar Avenue (68,000), Aguilar Batres Avenue (80,000), and Liberación Boulevard (135,000).

Hugo Godoy, operations director for the Municipal Transit Police (PMT), explained that the Roosevelt-San Juan overpass will facilitate smoother transit between zones 7 and 11 in both directions. EMETRA's strategy involves "unblocking" the area and rerouting traffic to alternative routes to prevent overwhelming El Trébol. Drivers coming from the CUM-USAC area and surrounding streets will find it easier to access areas like La Verbena, La Madre Boulevard, and the Periférico, or head towards Zone 3 and the El Trébol stadium area without navigating the central interchange.

EMETRA is also promoting alternative routes to ease the burden on the city's main "road spine." Key connections being emphasized include routes from Roosevelt Avenue to the Periférico under the Cejusa bridge, and from 16th Avenue in Carabanchel or 9th Avenue, passing through CUM, to connect with 13th Street in Zone 11 and continue under Aguilar Batres Avenue towards Zone 12. Additionally, routes from Roosevelt Avenue to Plaza Mariachis and El Cementerio Avenue are being highlighted. For those seeking to avoid El Trébol altogether, authorities recommend using 33rd and 37th Streets in Zone 8, with 40th Street planned for future use.