Mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco unveils a multimillion-peso project to place power and communication lines underground along Avenida Alcocer, enhancing streetscape beauty and service reliability.
Mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco announced an ambitious modernization plan for the Avenida Alcocer corridor, one of San Miguel de Allende’s principal thoroughfares. The project will relocate overhead power and communication cables beneath the surface, a move aimed at improving the historic city’s visual charm while reducing the frequency of service interruptions that have plagued residents and businesses in recent years.
Avenida Alcocer, stretching from the northeastern edge of the Historic Center toward the city’s newer residential zones, serves as a vital artery for daily commuters, tour buses, and commercial traffic. Flanked by centuries-old facades, artisan shops, and family-run cantinas, the avenue’s current canopy of cables has long drawn criticism for marring San Miguel’s UNESCO-listed cityscape. City planners have thus prioritized this corridor for the inaugural phase of a broader undergrounding initiative.
According to the municipal press office, the announcement follows a six-month feasibility study conducted by the Public Works and Urban Development departments. That study evaluated soil conditions, existing utility layouts, and traffic patterns to determine the optimal trench depths and conduit routes. Officials expect work to involve trenching along the avenue’s center median, the careful removal of poles, and the installation of reinforced concrete ducts capable of carrying high-voltage lines, fiber-optic cables, and future network expansions.
The project is slated to roll out in three overlapping phases. Phase 1, focused on the stretch between Calle Zaragoza and Calle San Francisco, will begin in July 2025 and last approximately six months. Phase 2 will extend from Calle San Francisco to the Jardín Principal area, with work scheduled for early 2026, and Phase 3 will cover the remaining section up to the city outskirts, concluding by year’s end. During each stage, one traffic lane in each direction will remain open; the city has committed to deploying flaggers and clear signage to minimize congestion.
Funding for the modernization effort will come from a combination of municipal bonds, earmarked federal infrastructure grants, and a cost-sharing agreement with the state government of Guanajuato. Mayor Trejo Pureco indicated that the total budget is approximately 65 million pesos (around US $3.5 million), with the lion’s share allocated to civil works and specialized underground cabling. An additional 5 million pesos have been set aside for landscaping and street-furniture enhancements once the utilities are buried.
Beyond uncluttering the skyline, city officials underscore the aesthetic payoff. Once buried, the avenue will be landscaped with drought-tolerant native plantings along the median and sidewalks. New pedestrian-scale lighting—fed by the underground network—will replace antiquated lamp posts, providing softer, more uniform illumination in the evenings. Decorative benches, public-art installations, and wayfinding signage are also planned to create an inviting promenade atmosphere.
Improved service reliability is another key objective. In recent years, heavy rains and high winds have knocked down overhead lines multiple times, causing blackouts lasting several hours. By relocating cables underground, the city expects a reduction in outage incidents by up to 80 percent, according to projections cited in the feasibility study. Communications providers have likewise pledged to take advantage of the subterranean conduits to optimize broadband and mobile services.
Safety and resilience considerations factored heavily into the design. Conduits will be rated for seismic activity, given San Miguel’s proximity to fault lines, and will include water-tight junction boxes to guard against flooding during the rainy season. Maintenance access points will be spaced at regular intervals, allowing technicians to service lines without disruptive street excavations in the future.
Local business owners along Avenida Alcocer have greeted the news with cautious optimism. María González, proprietor of La Casa del Artesano, noted that construction could disrupt foot traffic but welcomed the long-term prospect of an uncluttered storefront. “We hope the city coordinates work schedules so we can keep welcoming visitors,” she said. “In the end, a cleaner streetscape will help everyone attract more customers.”
Neighborhood associations have similarly expressed their support. Residents from Colonia San Antonio and Colonia El Llanito, which flank the avenue’s northern segment, are eager for the project to curb outages that have left some homes without electricity for up to eight hours after storms. “When the power goes down in the evening, it’s a real safety concern,” said Jorge López, president of the Colonia San Antonio residents’ committee. “Underground cables will offer us more peace of mind.”
Urban infrastructure experts hail the initiative as a model for balancing heritage preservation with modern service needs. Dr. Paula Herrera, a professor of urban planning at the University of Guanajuato, commented, “Putting utilities underground is expensive upfront but yields substantial payoffs in reliability, maintenance costs, and city branding. For a tourism-driven economy like San Miguel’s, it reinforces the city’s historic allure.”
Environmental considerations are also central to the plan. The municipality has pledged to reuse excavated soil and to recycle removed poles and damaged cables through certified waste-management firms. Surface restoration will incorporate permeable paving materials to facilitate rainwater infiltration, helping recharge aquifers that feed local springs and reduce runoff into the drainage system.
Tourism stakeholders anticipate that the polished streetscape will enhance visitor experiences. Each year, over one million tourists wander Avenida Alcocer en route to historic churches, art galleries, and boutique hotels. “A cable-free vista will look fantastic in travel photos and social-media posts,” said Claudia Ruiz of the San Miguel Tourism Council. “It’s another step toward positioning our city as Mexico’s premier cultural destination.”
As San Miguel de Allende advances into the 21st century, the Avenida Alcocer modernization exemplifies the administration’s commitment to sustainable, high-quality urbanism. Mayor Trejo Pureco concluded his announcement by inviting public feedback at upcoming town hall meetings and by emphasizing that transparency will guide each phase. With ground expected to break this summer, the city moves closer to unveiling a transformed corridor that honors its storied past while embracing modern infrastructure standards.