We received a letter from Francisco J. Rodríguez Vadillo, former president of the Yucatecan College of Architects AC, the core parts of which we reproduce below:
As an example of authoritarian attitudes, it is enough to remember that in 1938 Governor Humberto Canto Echeverría tried to rename, with misunderstood nationalism, the Paseo de Montejo as “Paseo de Nachi Cocom”.
Society responded with indifference and rejection: a clear sign that identity is not imposed, it is respected.
Decades later, the so-called depressed step became another warning that Mérida ignored. It was carried out without public consultation and with the use of force against those who defended the common space.
The result was a fracture of the social fabric, one of the worst municipal management, alterations in natural runoff and an onerous and permanent maintenance point.
This same pattern of imposition was repeated years later on Paseo de Montejo, with a unilateral decision by the state government: first the work, then the justification.
All of these interventions share the same mistake: the absence of a collegiate professional opinion and the disdain for citizen participation.
The Paseo de Montejo, urban and cultural emblem of Mérida, has been the victim of erroneous determinations that, under the discourse of modernity and “Smart Cities”, altered its historical, visual and functional balance.
What was presented as sustainable mobility led to a rigid cycle path, with dangerous buoys for cyclists and motorcyclists, unnecessary barriers and excessive signage, reducing lanes, eliminating parking and generating social discontent.
The balance: loss of vehicular fluidity, economic impact, landscape deterioration, closed premises and general discouragement.
Recovering Paseo de Montejo does not only mean repairing the physical: it implies reconciling the city with its inhabitants. It is time to resume sensitive and participatory planning, following the teaching of the architect and politician Jaime Lerner: “You don’t need a lot of money; you need sensitivity, will and respect for the citizen.”
Proposal
Based on the previous diagnosis, I propose a series of actions and strategic lines aimed at recovering the urban, heritage and social balance of Paseo de Montejo:
1. Relocate the bike lane on wide sidewalks, guaranteeing safety without sacrificing lanes, especially in the original section of the Paseo.
2. Reforest with adult trees with generous shade to replace diseased specimens.
3. Rehabilitate whereabouts and urban furniture with a sober heritage language.
4. Provide fiscal incentives and support for the immediate recovery of properties, facades and commercial activity.
5. Integrate a Citizen Technical Council made up of the colleges of architects and engineers, the Board of Trustees of the Historic Center, the Directorate of Urban Development, the INAH, the State government, civil associations, neighbors and businessmen, with regulatory voice and mandatory endorsement before any arbitrary modification or personal display in the heritage area.
6. Paseo Vivo at night: Warm scenic lighting and safe urban life.
7. Heritage corridor: Temporary adoption of mansions with light cultural uses.
8. Worthy whereabouts: Effective shade and coherent materials.
9. Slow crossings: Well-designed crosswalks and widened corners.
10. Continuous shade: mature trees with permeable pavements.
11. Orderly terraces: clear and unified aesthetic regulations.
12. Local identity: sober signage and historical plaques.
13. Cultural circuit: better organized partial weekend pedestrianization.
14. Paseo Curator Council: permanent municipal body with the participation of the Board of Trustees, associations and professional associations.
15. Public indicators: quarterly evaluation of mobility, safety and urban comfort.
Mérida today experiences the coexistence of two governments with different banners: a state government from Morena and a municipal government from the PAN—both headed by capable people. This contrast can and should become an opportunity for civic maturity.
The Paseo de Montejo provides the opportunity to demonstrate that local technical capacity, ethics and love for the city are above electoral calculation and partisan ambition.
The challenge is not technical: it is moral and virtuous, an act of respect towards our city. Correcting the urban mistakes of the past would be a sign of humility and public greatness.
The Paseo de Montejo does not belong to any party: it belongs to the people of Merida and the history of Mexico.
The true greatness of Mérida will be in the height of its decisions, not in the magnitude of its works.
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