Protests and Traffic Accidents Disrupt Mexico City Transit on Saturday

OPA WIRE, Oct 20 (OPA) — Demonstrators cleared Eje 1 Poniente Guerrero and Eje 1 Norte by 3:38 p.m. following earlier blockades that forced commuters to divert to Avenida Insurgentes, Paseo de la Reforma, and Avenida Ricardo Flores Magón. Earlier in the day, protesters also blocked Avenida Insurgentes and Eje 2 Norte in the Cuauhtémoc borough, though authorities confirmed traffic flow returned to normal following the dispersal of those groups. Another protest on Dr. Lavista, located between Avenida Niños Héroes and Digna Ochoa y Plácido, prompted officials to suggest Dr. Río de la Loza and Avenida Chapultepec as alternative routes.

Traffic accidents compounded the congestion, most notably on the Mexico-Puebla highway, where a collision involving a cement truck forced a full closure in both directions. In the city center, a Metrobús unit was involved in a crash on Eje 4 Sur Avenida Plutarco Elías Calles near Juana de Arco. Meanwhile, emergency crews reopened the Periférico Río de los Remedios after a five-hour operation to clear the scene of a separate traffic incident.

Infrastructure projects continue to impact mobility in the western sector of the city. On Avenida de las Torres, authorities implemented a reversible lane between Avenida Río Tacubaya and Calle 2 to manage flow. Calzada Minas de Arena remains closed to through traffic between Sur 122 and Avenida de las Torres, with access restricted to local vehicles between the 4.ª Cerrada de Acueducto and the main avenue.

Construction work on Avenida Sur 122 has reduced available lanes from Poniente 85 to Avenida Río Tacubaya for southbound traffic. To mitigate the impact of these lane reductions, officials have established a reversible lane for northbound vehicles. Motorists are advised to monitor real-time updates as city authorities continue to manage the intersection of protest activity and ongoing road maintenance.