La Paz Mayor Milena Quiroga has outlined a sweeping urban mobility transformation that has been reshaping the Baja California Sur capital since 2023. The overhaul includes one-way traffic conversions on two ring roads, smart traffic signals, a real-time monitoring center, and a new air-conditioned public bus system.
The city established Cemovial, a centralized traffic monitoring center that tracks vehicle flow in real time across the city. Two ring roads have been converted to one-way traffic to ease congestion on major corridors. Smart traffic signals now adjust timing based on current conditions, replacing the older fixed-cycle system.
Tiburón Urbano Bus System Launched in 2024
In summer 2024, La Paz launched the Tiburón Urbano (“Urban Shark”) public bus system. The buses are air-conditioned, a practical upgrade for a city where summer temperatures regularly exceed 40°C (104°F). Each bus is equipped with GPS tracking and emergency buttons for passenger safety.
For expats and visitors who navigate La Paz without a car, the Tiburón Urbano represents the city’s first modern public transit option. La Paz has long relied on a patchwork of older private bus routes and colectivos with limited reliability.
New Urban Circuit Roads Under Construction
Two new urban circuit roads are part of the plan. One is already complete. The second, the Circuito Urbano Sur Oriente Bahía Concepción, is currently in its second construction phase. This southern urban circuit is projected to improve connectivity for more than 250,000 residents in neighborhoods including Península Sur, Valle del Mezquite, and Camino Real.
Those neighborhoods sit on La Paz’s expanding southern and eastern edges, where residential development has outpaced road infrastructure in recent years. The new circuit aims to connect these areas without funneling all traffic through the city center.
Bypasses Also in the Works
The mobility push extends beyond city streets. In March 2025, Quiroga announced coordination with SICT (the federal Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation) to plan two highway bypasses. One would reroute Transpeninsular Highway (Highway 1) traffic around the city, and another would connect the southern highway to the port at Pichilingue. Heavy cargo trucks traveling between Tijuana and Los Cabos currently pass through La Paz’s urban core, contributing to serious congestion.
Quiroga framed the overall program as a long-term strategy to reduce commute times, fuel consumption, and citywide traffic congestion. No total budget figure for the mobility plan has been disclosed.
This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.