Driving Through the Defiant Highway del Sol
Autopista del Sol (Mexico City-Acapulco, Mexico 95D) is a modern four-lane toll highway located in the southern part of Mexico that links Mexico City with Acapulco.
When was Autopista del Sol built?
The highway was inaugurated in 1994 under the administration of Salinas de Gortari. The highway is fully paved and traverses the rugged mountains of Sierra Madre del Sur by a series of tunnels and bridges. At the time, it was a huge infrastructure engineering project, with the Quetzalapa, El Papagayo, and El Zapote bridges being some of the tallest in the nation during that period until surpassed by the new Durango-Mazatlán highway in 2013.
Why is Autopista del Sol dangerous?
This highway is particularly dangerous due to high-speed traveling by reckless drivers, some short curves, and frequent mudslides during the rainy season, mostly caused by mountain cuts that collapse onto moving vehicles. The highway also includes, in Acapulco city, the longest tunnel in the nation, the Maxi tunnel. Additionally, this highway often gets closed due to protesters from Guerrero state teachers in the area around Chilpancingo, causing major delays and traffic for users, mostly demanding security changes from the government, as well as addressing corruption and impunity.
Road suggested by: Eblem Torres