Mérida’s 2nd periférico and what it could mean for the region
Plans to build a second ring road around Mérida have been floating about for years. But now that the initiative has been approved, residents of Yucatán’s largest city and surrounding communities ask, “How will this affect me?”
As they are currently drawn, the boundaries of Mérida’s second periférico ring would surround parts or the entirety of several other municipalities, including Progreso (as far north as Paraíso), Ixil, Baca, Tixkokob, all of Kanasín and the majority of Acanceh, as well as Uman and Hunucmá.
Related: Updated story on Yucatán Daily News
Image provided by the Observatorio de Movilidad y Sustentabilidad de Mérida. The dotted lines are approximations. Map of Mérida’s second periferico
Merida’s Periférico is one of the most dangerous roads in Mexico.Photo: La Jornada Maya
Section of the Ie-Tram network that will pass Mérida’s Periferico in the north, onwards to Kanasín.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
The periférico’s outdated Progreso exit will be demolished and replaced.Photo: Courtesy
Checkpoints will be in place through Jan. 7 for this year. Expect police to be positioned along busy roads, including the Periférico and its on- and off-ramps.Photo: Carlos Rosado van der Gracht / Yucatán Magazine
Measures need to be taken to facilitate smoother traffic along the periférico, especially with the growth of suburbs like Las Americas, Ciudad Caucel, Cholul, and Temozón — but not everyone agrees an even larger periferico ring is the way to go.
The second periférico is also intended to reduce traffic along the first ring, which is the stage for accidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries nearly every day with 284 deaths in 2024 alone, making it the most dangerous motorway in the state.
In a December 2026 survey of Mérida residents conducted by MetropoliMid, 61% said the most likely impact of a second periférico would be negative, with 44% arguing it would lead to unchecked growth and 17% believing it would ultimately worsen traffic in the long run.
Though the notion that building more roads would result in even worse traffic congestion may sound odd, it does have a basis in reality. This counterintuitive effect, known as “induced demand,” arises as new infrastructure encourages more driving.
Historical data suggest that this has happened in large Mexican cities such as Puebla, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. While Mexico City has also experienced this phenomenon, its implementation of multi-level periférico rings has at least helped to contain some of the effects of building more and more ring roads around the city.
Plus, despite its brutal traffic, Mexico City has invested heavily in improving its public transit with trams, light rail and even cable cars that turn what used to be a one-hour bus commute into a five-minute ride directly over bumper-to-bumper traffic.
The sheer size of Mérida’s proposed second periférico also raises eyebrows about the potential impact of urban sprawl on wetlands, especially in areas such as the Sierra Papacal.
Though no official timeline has been offered, as the project is expected to be funded by both the state and federation, it will likely be completed at the latest by the end of 2030, just before the terms of Gov. Joaquín Díaz Mena and President Claudia Sheindaum expire.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht, PhD, is a journalist, photographer, and expedition leader. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada, and Norway. Most recently, he earned a doctorate in Heritage Studies in 2026.
