**Revitalizing Tijuana’s SITT: A Top Priority for the New Administration**
The new administration faces a significant challenge in revitalizing Tijuana’s Integrated Transportation System (SITT), a crucial element for improving mobility across the city. Hazael Alfonso Miranda Moya, the recently appointed director of the SITT, outlines an ambitious plan to restore the operability of the trunk route, aiming to elevate the system to its intended potential.
Currently, only two buses are operational in the city, which highlights the pressing need for enhancement. Miranda Moya emphasizes the importance of utilizing Tijuana’s unique trunk route, which feeds the SITT and is a tool designed to improve the city’s transportation infrastructure, akin to systems in neighboring cities like San Diego.
Despite previous efforts, such as shortening the trunk route and initiating programs to beautify the stations with local art, significant hurdles remain. The attempted SITT Binational service, in collaboration with Mexicoach, aimed to reduce cross-border car traffic by offering a bus ride to the US for $10. However, this initiative led to legal challenges, including a substantial lawsuit demanding 500 million pesos over unauthorized station use.
Miranda Moya aims to address these legal issues to unlock the SITT’s full potential. A collaboration agreement was signed in October 2023 between the Tijuana municipal government and the state government to transfer the system to the state’s control under the Institute of Sustainable Mobility (Imos). This would potentially expand routes to new areas, but remains stalled due to ongoing litigations.
Regidora Gina Arana Cruz suggests that, for the new administration, continuing the state government collaboration is essential to achieve a well-functioning system. She stresses the importance of maximizing SITT stations as feeders into broader transport lines to improve city-wide mobility.
**Further Developments in Tijuana’s Transport Sector**
Tijuana’s transportation system not only faces challenges with SITT but also broader coordination issues. Reports indicate a lack of coherence in efforts between different local governing bodies, potentially affecting the city’s transport efficiency. Continuous collaboration between the municipal and state governments is vital to convert transportation initiatives into tangible improvements for Tijuana’s residents.
In related news, Tijuana hosts its first mural dedicated to the Yuman communities, showcasing the city’s cultural richness. The mural celebrates the longstanding presence of these communities in Tijuana and marks a commitment to further artistic initiatives.
Elsewhere, shelters in Tijuana are experiencing increased deportations due to tighter asylum restrictions, impacting mostly families from within Mexico, highlighting the complex social dynamics the city navigates alongside transportation and cultural endeavors.
Stay tuned to TJGringo.com for more in-depth news and updates relating to Tijuana’s transport systems and cultural developments.