Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Federal officials say a geological fault in the federal 307 north of Playa del Carmen has been resolved. Officials say they were able to resolve the decade-old sinkhole problem by means of soil injection technology.
In August, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) repaired the area by supporting the soil with a specialized stabilizing injection. The injected material has helped to increase soil strength and stability, eliminating the need for an overpass. At least for now.
The sinkhole has been on the SICT’s to-do list nearly 10 years where a section of the highway outside Playa Paraíso opened up. According to SICT Quintana Roo Director Guido Mendiburu Solís, 96 million pesos was spent on the injection project back in August.
“New technologies were used to stabilize the ground. This mixture protects the materials, homogenizes the soil layers and controls permeability, preventing rock dissolution. This consolidates the structure supporting the road,” he explained.
Technical studies revealed that the subsoil was stabilized through the innovative mineral injection process, a technique that reinforces the soil structure and prevents future movement.
“No bridges will be built. The ground has been stabilized, however, we continue to conduct regular monitoring to ensure user safety,” he added.
Mendiburu Solís stressed that this procedure is novel in Mexico and responds to federal instructions to apply more efficient and economical methods in infrastructure projects.
He said the initial alternative to resolve the problem was the construction of a bridge, but technical studies determined that mineral injection offered a more durable, less invasive and environmentally friendly solution, by consolidating the soil strata naturally.
He added that the affected section is operating normally and is under constant monitoring to verify the behavior of the subsoil.
