MND Local: Major infrastructure projects reflect growing pains in Los Cabos

As Los Cabos’ maturation continues, some successful presumption of a rapidly expanding colonisation and an expanding fig of yearly tourists, the destination is struggling to support gait with infrastructure improvements to grip the influx. The Fonatur roundabout project, for example, is an ambitious undertaking that should importantly alleviate postulation successful 1 of the municipality’s busiest areas. However, operation isn’t expected to decorativeness earlier adjacent summer. In the meantime, it’s causing worse postulation difficulties. 

More large infrastructure projects are coming. Undoubtedly, they’ll wage dividends successful the future. In the meantime, locals tin expect much construction-related postulation issues.

Los Cabos International Airport to treble its rider capacity

Los Cabos International Airport is undergoing large caller additions to assistance it accommodate an accrued fig of rider arrivals. (GAP)

The Los Cabos International Airport has undergone galore changes since its opening successful 1977. But the largest task is yet to come. Over 7.5 cardinal passengers arrived astatine the airport’s 2 terminals successful 2024, up 40% from the pandemic betterment twelvemonth of 2021. So to accommodate much maturation implicit the adjacent fewer years — remember, the Los Cabos Tourism Board conscionable announced sweeping plans for flights to unfastened Central and South American markets — the airdrome is expanding its operations yet again.

The caller task for the airport, operated by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP), is portion of a maestro improvement successful which 52 cardinal pesos volition beryllium invested successful the 12 airports operated by the institution successful Mexico. The Los Cabos International Airport task volition relationship for 7 cardinal pesos (US $370 million) of those invested monies, though ironically, the program calls for enlargement done shrinkage. Instead of the 2 existent terminals, lone 1 volition beryllium utilized by 2029, the projected extremity day for the upgrade.

What’s being added astatine Terminal 2?

The planetary terminal, Terminal 2, volition beryllium expanded to grip home passengers arsenic well, obviating the request for Terminal 1. To execute this, 3 caller gates volition beryllium added, arsenic volition astir 20 caller self-service check-in kiosks. The baggage country volition besides spot a important enlargement (33%), with a twelve much migration checkpoints to grip expected increases from the astir 4 cardinal tourists who visited Los Cabos successful 2024. When complete, Terminal 2 volition beryllium astir 40% larger than it is currently.

“In the agelong term, the airport’s maturation is afloat guaranteed truthful that we tin turn alongside our passengers,” GAP Chief Executive Officer Raúl Revuelta told the Gringo Gazette successful May. “We volition relocate Terminal 1 to Terminal 2, which volition beryllium completed and expanded to grip some types of passengers (domestic and international).”

Naturally, the airdrome runways won’t beryllium the lone paved surfaces seeing expanding traffic. Plans are besides successful the works to guarantee roads successful and retired of the airdrome tin grip the expected growth. This could further exacerbate postulation issues, particularly since the Fonatur roundabout task has already accrued the question clip needed for passengers to scope the airport. Both projects volition beryllium proceeding apace until astatine slightest the summertime of 2026, that being the expected completion day for the enactment connected the Fonatur underpass upgrade. Of course, there’s nary warrant that it volition decorativeness connected time. As of precocious August, it’s 25% complete.

A little past of roads betwixt Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo

The past of roads connecting Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, the 2 “cape” cities from which Los Cabos gets its sanction and the municipality’s apical destinations, is simply a period old. That’s however agelong it has been since the archetypal ungraded roadworthy betwixt the 2 was created successful 1926. However, the awesome pathway since 1970 has been via Federal Highway 1 (the Carretera Transpeninsular route). This transpeninsular road opened successful afloat successful 1973, but the Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo nexus was completed 3 years earlier. This is the alleged “Tourist Corridor” road that provides entree to galore resorts, arsenic good arsenic the restaurants, supermarkets, hospitals and residential developments present recovered on the 32-kilometer (20-mile) route.  

Federal Highway 1 has connected Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo since 1970. (Coldwell Banker Riveras Real Estate)

Due to Los Cabos’ growth, a caller Airport Toll Road (or Autopista Cabo San Lucas – San José del Cabo) was added successful 2015. It’s the lone toll roadworthy successful the authorities of Baja California Sur. The 38.7-kilometer roadworthy importantly cuts thrust clip betwixt the airdrome and Cabo San Lucas (17 minutes compared to 40). However, astir locals are inactive utilizing Federal Highway 1, either due to the fact that of the outgo – the toll roadworthy tin outgo arsenic overmuch arsenic 113 pesos (around US $6) — oregon due to the fact that of the ample attractions on the much accepted route. 

A caller roadworthy is planned betwixt Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo

Statistically speaking, 66% of the 63,000 oregon truthful motorists utilizing Federal Highway 1 regular are traveling backmost and distant betwixt the cape cities, portion lone 34% are stopping successful the coastal corridor. So, to reroute immoderate of those 63,000 — a fig that volition surely emergence fixed Los Cabos’ rapidly rising colonisation figures — a caller solution is needed.

Thus, a program has been enactment guardant for a 3rd pathway betwixt the 2 cities. Called the Interurban Axis, statement was reached for this caller thruway successful August 2025, pursuing onshore acquisition from 15 ejidos and backstage spot owners. This was a necessity for the operation connected the task to begin.

What is the Interurban Axis? 

The Interurban Axis (Eje Interurbano) is the sanction for the 3rd arterial way connecting Cabo San Lucas to San José del Cabo. It’ll beryllium built betwixt the different two, starting successful El Tezal and terminating adjacent the airdrome toll booth successful San José del Cabo. That’s lone 20.3 kilometers, truthful it’ll beryllium importantly shorter than either the 32-kilometer Federal Highway 1 corridor nexus oregon the 38.7-kilometer toll road.

The fund is projected to beryllium 5 cardinal pesos, but earlier locals commencement worrying what benignant of postulation tie-ups this tin cause, it should beryllium noted that not lone is determination nary enactment being done arsenic yet, but determination besides isn’t adjacent a projected commencement date. But present that the onshore has been acquired, this task could beryllium a spell arsenic soon arsenic the fund is approved. For this important an outlay, national support and resources are an implicit must. So enactment tuned for much quality connected this moving forward. 

Why is the 2nd desalination works inactive not finished?

If you’re 1 of those locals who sees changeless hordes of newcomers moving to Los Cabos and wonders: Wait, we didn’t person capable h2o before. How is this perchance going to work? Well, you’re not alone. In the authorities with the least rainfall successful Mexico, and successful a spot similar Cabo San Lucas, wherever a astir changeless parade of h2o trucks is en way to capable tinacos and cisternas from depleted resources, it’s a precise valid question. After all, Los Cabos presently operates from a h2o shortage of astir 600 liters per second. 

Promised practice from President Sheinbaum whitethorn beryllium down the caller uptick successful enactment connected the 2nd desalination works task successful Cabo San Lucas. It is expected to beryllium finished successful October 2026. (Oomsapas Los Cabos)

Cabo San Lucas is particularly hard deed and has seen thoroughfare protests from the astir 2 twelve neighborhoods dealing with h2o scarcity issues. Desalination plants were expected to beryllium the solution, and possibly they volition be. After all, it’s projected that the archetypal and 2nd desalination plants volition harvester for 650 liters per second. Or capable to screen the shortfall. At slightest until the population doubles again.

Of course, the archetypal desalination plant, built successful Cabo San Lucas in 2006, is present lone operating astatine 36% capacity. The 2nd plant, meanwhile, has been plagued by governmental roadblocks and budgetary shortfalls for astir a decade. It was archetypal announced successful 2016, and arsenic of the latest update, it is inactive lone 41% complete. The bully news, comparatively speaking, is that arsenic precocious arsenic May 2025, it was lone 32% complete. So advancement does look to person been ramped up successful caller months.

When volition the caller desal works beryllium finished?

This tin apt beryllium attributed to the idiosyncratic involvement taken by President Claudia Sheinbaum. During her visit to Los Cabos successful May, she noted, “We’re going to scope an statement present with the politician of Los Cabos to assistance him with the desalination plants, truthful they tin beryllium installed sooner and determination tin beryllium entree to drinking water, which is truthful important successful Los Cabos.” 

So possibly the October 2026 day of expected completion isn’t, pardon the expression, a tube dream. The 2nd desalination works is simply a public-private concern betwixt h2o inferior Oomsapas Los Cabos, Spanish institution Acciona, and Mexican-owned La Peninsular Compañía Constructora. So far, an estimated 1.145 cardinal pesos has been invested successful the project. 

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas section adept for the USA Today question website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos question guidebook and a contributor to galore websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily.