Peru's Fondo Metropolitano de Inversiones (INVERMET) began Stage 1 of a Vehicular Diversion Plan on Monday, September 14, as construction started on the new Óvalo Faucett, a roundabout at the intersection of La Marina and Elmer Faucett avenues in San Miguel, Lima. The intervention covers about 0.5 kilometers along each road and is part of a S/15.2 million public investment project with a 180 calendar day execution period.
Luis Felipe Gamarra Quintana, general manager of INVERMET, said that during this first phase, crews will work on one auxiliary road before moving to the auxiliary lane on the opposite side. He said only the auxiliary road would be worked on for now.
Gamarra stressed that the main lanes of La Marina and the central lanes connecting to Callao will not be touched at this stage. The central road remains open while auxiliary lane work continues. INVERMET said Monday marked a trial run, with demolition work set to begin on Wednesday.
Routes drivers must take
The plan sets different routes depending on the type of vehicle. Public transport will keep its normal routes and stops during this first phase.
Private vehicles traveling East-West or North-South will continue using the main lanes as before. Those traveling East-North must take Rafael Escardó avenue heading south-to-north, then turn onto Los Precursores avenue heading east-to-west, before rejoining their usual route.
Cargo vehicles traveling North-West should continue on Elmer Faucett avenue, then take Los Precursores followed by Los Insurgentes, before resuming their normal path. INVERMET said it would also set up delimited, accessible pedestrian paths to help people cross the work zone.
Escardó and Los Precursores as backup routes
Gamarra said the design includes relief routes in case of traffic increases at peak hours, naming Rafael Escardó and Los Precursores as the two roads set aside for that purpose.
He said he did not expect the first stage to cause a major impact on traffic because the main lanes would stay open. He said the main roads will not be touched, so he does not believe that is where problems will arise.
Personnel from the Autoridad de Transporte Urbano para Lima y Callao (ATU), inspectors, flagmen and officers from the Policía Nacional del Perú will be stationed at strategic points along La Marina, Faucett, Escardó and Los Precursores avenues.
Effect on airport traffic
Elmer Faucett avenue is one of the main routes to Jorge Chávez International Airport, so the new scheme includes an alternative route for vehicles traveling between eastern Lima and the airport area.
Gamarra told El Comercio that in case of congestion on the main roads, those traveling from the airport area can use Los Precursores and Rafael Escardó to reconnect with La Marina, adding that the main road would not be modified in that respect during this first intervention. He said drivers could also go via Escardó down to La Marina toward San Miguel, and back up via Elmer Faucett, or take Los Insurgentes avenue to reach Callao.
He said the main lanes will remain open throughout the first stage, so access to the airport area will not be fully interrupted.
A new roundabout 72 meters wide
The project involves a full overhaul of the La Marina and Elmer Faucett intersection. According to INVERMET, the new infrastructure will include a roundabout with an exterior radius of about 72 meters, plus auxiliary roads with two lanes per direction, curbs, lateral dividers and green areas.
The work aims to organize traffic at one of the busiest intersections in this part of Lima and reduce congestion points, and also includes improvements to lighting, green spaces, gardens and the road surface. Gamarra said the whole sector would improve not only in traffic flow but also in walkability and safety for residents. INVERMET said the project will directly benefit more than 41,000 residents.
Plan built for possible congestion
INVERMET said the diversion scheme was designed with possible congestion scenarios in mind, developed jointly with the contractor and with input from the Gerencia de Movilidad Urbana (GMU) and the ATU.
Gamarra said the plan had already accounted for any eventuality, and that the situation was under control, adding that traffic problems should be no worse than what could occur on any normal day. He said the first stage would concentrate on the auxiliary lanes while the main lanes kept operating, and that INVERMET expects this first stage to conclude within 180 days.
Engineer warns of shifting congestion
Civil engineer Mario Candia, a specialist in traffic engineering, urban road design and road safety, questioned the impact the diversions could have on Rafael Escardó and Los Insurgentes avenues, noting both already suffer congestion. He said INVERMET's chosen routes were natural alternatives for diverting traffic, but argued that improvements should have been planned for the intersections that will receive the new flow. He said that reducing capacity in one place would undoubtedly shift congestion to another.
Candia said he had not reviewed the traffic studies used to design the plan, so his assessment was preliminary. He warned that if no work has been done to improve capacity at La Marina with Escardó and La Marina with Los Insurgentes, those points could see heavier congestion during construction.
He said the greatest effects could come in later stages, when the main roads themselves need to be intervened, estimating drivers could then face at least 10 to 15 additional minutes of delay.
Candia said a diversion plan should not be limited to signage alone but should include a capacity study and measures to ease new vehicle movements, such as changes to lane numbers, right-of-way priorities and traffic light timing. He also questioned the long-term fix, saying the roundabout would not resolve the intersection's traffic problem and could even create new circulation issues once construction is finished.
