Ciudad Iluminada: Camina Libre Camina Segura invests 1.7 billion pesos in 2025 to illuminate 382 kilometers of main avenues and 1,000 total kilometers of streets, prioritizing women’s safety and a violence-free approach.
On June 2, 2025, Clara Brugada Molina, Head of Government of Mexico City, unveiled the Ciudad Iluminada: Camina Libre, Camina Segura initiative. With an unprecedented investment of 1.7 billion pesos this year, the program aims to transform public spaces with improved lighting while centering on a violence-free approach and gender perspective that prioritizes the safety of women and girls.
In a ceremony at La Bombilla Park in the Álvaro Obregón borough, Brugada Molina emphasized that this marks the largest lighting investment in the city’s history. “It’s 1.7 billion pesos—this year alone—to light up the city. Never before have we invested so much in lighting, and this is only the first year,” she said, underscoring the scale of the commitment.
The program follows two core strategies. First, it will illuminate the city’s 100 main avenues, covering 382 kilometers of arterial roads. Second, through the House by House component, it will bring lighting to every neighborhood impacted by violence or lack of infrastructure. According to Brugada Molina, “This intervention not only transforms public spaces with better lighting but also transforms people’s lives, especially women’s.”
A key element of the initiative is its emphasis on gender-inclusive design. Specialized posts equipped with LED screens will project 54 phrases against gender-based violence, aiming to raise awareness and foster a culture of respect. “These gender-related posts were designed to send a message: we stand against violence toward women and girls,” Brugada Molina explained. She added that lighting school pathways for secondary and higher education students will also be a priority, covering over 60 kilometers in the first phase. Additionally, 48 kilometers of streets in the Historic Center—especially its eastern section—will be illuminated. “In the first year, we will exceed 1,000 kilometers of lighting,” she projected.
Raúl Basulto Luviano, head of the Ministry of Public Works and Services (SOBSE), detailed how four pillars underpin the Illuminated City: Walk Free, Walk Safe strategy:
- Major Avenues: Targets corridors such as Insurgentes, Calzada de Tlalpan, Avenida Tláhuac, and Eje Central.
- Safe Roads, Territories of Peace: Works in coordination with Security Cabinet meetings to identify high-risk areas.
- Safe Community: Extends through 2,000+ secondary streets in 54 neighborhoods under the House-to-House Government program.
- School Roads: Lights 32 routes around public secondary and high schools.
Under the Safe Community axis, SOBSE plans to renovate 1,734 kilometers of primary and secondary roads within the year. Of that total, 300 kilometers lie along the main avenues, and the rest cover secondary streets. By year’s end, the city will have installed 175,000 new streetlights, 3,000 security cameras, and 1,500 panic buttons, says Basulto Luviano. He noted that the Historic Center alone will receive 120 million pesos in LED lighting upgrades, reducing energy consumption, and that talks are underway with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to incorporate solar panels for clean energy generation.
Brugada Molina stressed that these interventions signal a structural shift in how Mexico City is designed and governed. “Lighting the city with this technology sends a powerful signal of institutional presence. Each illuminated street says: ‘Here is government, here is community, and we take care of you.’” She added that accessible sidewalks and complementary urban infrastructure—murals, cameras, and widened pedestrian paths—will accompany the new lighting to ensure territorial justice and inclusion for people with disabilities.
To achieve these goals, five distinct types of lighting will be installed:
- Superpoles (9, 12, and 15 meters tall) with 250-watt reflectors.
- Flexible, moving reflector lamps (7 or 9 meters tall) designed to eliminate blind spots.
- 100-, 170-, and 250-watt street fixtures.
- Lantern-style lamps for aesthetic continuity in historic areas.
- LED screens on gender-related posts carrying anti-violence messages.
Brugada Molina highlighted that the gender-related posts will be distributed strategically near high-traffic zones and points where women and girls are most vulnerable. “By designing this program with women and girls in mind, we acknowledge that public safety requires a gender lens,” she said.
Javier López Casarín, mayor of Álvaro Obregón, praised the initiative as a model of “governing with conviction.” He noted that Caminos de Mujeres Libres y Seguras (Paths for Free and Safe Women) exemplifies how a gender perspective can reshape urban design. “Programs like this make visible those who have been historically excluded from city planning,” he said.
City officials emphasize that LED technology not only enhances visibility but also lowers energy bills. According to Basulto Luviano, converting to LEDs can cut electricity consumption by up to 60 percent compared to traditional fixtures. “LED lighting means more light for less cost,” he explained, adding that solar panel integration could further slash operating expenses.
Beyond financial savings, the program aims to tackle gender-based violence through visibility. Studies consistently show that well-lit streets deter crime and make women feel safer walking at night. By illuminating school paths, major corridors, and secondary streets, the city hopes to close off potential hiding spots and foster community confidence. Basulto Luviano emphasized that safety cameras and panic buttons will complement lighting, creating a networked approach to crime prevention.
“The goal is clear,” Brugada Molina concluded. “We want a city where every woman, teenager, and girl can walk freely and confidently—day or night. When you light up a neighborhood, you light up people’s lives.”
As the Ciudad Iluminada program unfolds, residents can expect to see crews installing poles, fixtures, and digital screens throughout the summer and into the fall. City leaders say they will hold regular community meetings to gather feedback on lighting quality and safety concerns. If successful, this campaign could set a new standard for municipal lighting projects in Latin America.
With 1.7 billion pesos committed in 2025, Mexico City’s leaders aim to surpass 1,000 kilometers of newly illuminated streets by year’s end. By centering gender, technology, and community engagement, Camina Libre, Camina Segura seeks not only to brighten dark corners but also to reshape how citizens—especially women—experience urban life.
