A tender to build the second phase of the Macrobús bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Mexico’s Jalisco state capital Guadalajara will be launched in April, national infrastructure fund Fonadin director Federico Patiño told BNamericas.

The project will cost some 2.8bn pesos (US$214mn), of which national development bank Banobras will provide 50% through Fonadin, with 45% coming from the awardee and the remaining 5% from Jalisco state government.

The tender involves building the 32km BRT line, as well as its operation and maintenance over a 17-year period under a public service provision (PPS) contract. The system will run along state highway 126 in Zapopan municipality.

Macrobús is one of several BRT projects in the pipeline for 2010, according to Patiño. Similar projects in Monterrey, Chihuahua and Mexcali are all slated to come out in the coming months, the Fonadin director said.

Financing for BRT projects has been successful over the last year despite an uncertain economic climate, and the systems are increasingly being seen as an option for small and medium-sized banks to enter the infrastructure financing market, according to Patiño.

“Medium-sized banks are entering this type of project because they’re relatively small compared with, say, airports, highways or ports. So we’re seeing banks like Afirme, Ixe and Mifel taking more of an interest,” Patiño said.

The full interview with Federico Patiño is available in this week’s Infrastructure Perspectives, for subscribers only.

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