Child Mobility and Road Safety Initiative in Quintana Roo

Child mobility and road safety initiative in southeastern Mexico has received support from Alstom Foundation. The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy is leading the work. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The Alstom Foundation is backing the “Walk and Roll to School Day” project in Mexico. Launched in November 2025, the initiative is intended to improve safety around schools. It also aims to encourage active mobility in communities across Quintana Roo.

Within that scope, the project focuses on school surroundings. These are areas where pedestrian access, walking and cycling conditions, and vehicle speeds are identified as concerns.

Quintana Roo has faced growing road safety challenges. Urban expansion, higher vehicle numbers, and travel patterns linked to residents and tourists have increased pressure on local streets. After the post-pandemic recovery, more than 2,500 traffic incidents were registered in 2021 and 2022 alone. By 2024, the number had risen by a further 7%.

These problems are also visible near schools. Children often move through areas affected by poor pedestrian infrastructure, unsafe conditions for walking or cycling, and high vehicle speeds.

“We firmly believe that safe and sustainable mobility begins in communities. This project reflects our commitment to protecting children, supporting local authorities, and promoting more people-friendly urban spaces in Mexico.”

Maite Ramos Gómez, Managing Director for Northern Latin America at Alstom.

Alstom Foundation and ITDP coordinate the school safety project

Under the project, the Alstom Foundation is providing funding. It is working with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, the non-profit organization in charge of implementation.

Also, the work is being coordinated with local bodies. These include the Quintana Roo Mobility Institute (IMOVEQROO) and the Benito Juárez Municipal Planning Institute (IMPLAN). The coordination forms part of a broader institutional approach.

Since the initiative began, work has moved forward in several areas. These include partnerships with public institutions, road safety assessments, and the identification of priority intervention areas in Cancún and Playa del Carmen.

Progress so far includes a full review of 12 school zones in Cancún and Playa del Carmen. The assessment used traffic accident data and infrastructure conditions. It helped identify areas with higher risk levels.

In addition, the project has selected 5 priority schools for planned interventions. The selection was based on technical evidence and coordination with local authorities.

Technical visits have been held in the field with authorities and specialists. These visits identified problems including unsafe crossings, insufficient sidewalks, and pedestrian-related risks.

Meanwhile, concept designs are being prepared for urban interventions. They are intended to reshape school surroundings and improve both road safety and active mobility.

Child mobility and road safety initiative advances in Quintana Roo

The initiative has also strengthened coordination with IMOVEQROO, IMPLAN, and other key institutions. This supports the project’s viability and potential replication.

Information has been compiled on the main accessibility problems identified through the work. In Cancún, three schools have been chosen to host WRSD activities. In Playa del Carmen, two schools have been shortlisted. The final intervention decision there will be confirmed with municipal authorities.

Further work is focused on preparing road safety workshops for students, teachers, and caregivers. A technical guide is also being developed. It is intended to allow the model to be reproduced in other cities in southeastern Mexico.

The measures are intended to reduce road risks. They also aim to encourage safer travel habits and support more accessible and sustainable urban environments for school communities.

Walk and Ride to School event planned for October 2026

In the coming months, the project plans to carry out surveys on school mobility patterns. It also plans to organize community workshops and hold the “Walk and Ride to School” event in October 2026. Alstom employees are also expected to join community activities as volunteers.

“For us at the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, this is a great opportunity to work with Alstom Mexico and local authorities to improve school environments and help ensure that children and their families have better conditions for walking and cycling,” said Bernardo Baranda Sepúlveda, the Institute’s regional director for Latin America.

Maite Ramos Gómez, Alstom’s Managing Director for Northern Latin America and promoter of the project, said: “We firmly believe that safe and sustainable mobility begins in communities. This project reflects our commitment to protecting children, supporting local authorities, and promoting more people-friendly urban spaces in Mexico.”

Created in November 2007, the Alstom Foundation supports and finances projects designed to improve living conditions and economic opportunities. The work focuses on communities located near Alstom facilities and sites worldwide.

Projects are proposed and supported by Alstom employees. They work with specialist partners and seek Alstom Foundation backing to generate a positive effect on the local environment.

Each project is implemented in close cooperation with local or global NGOs. Those partners have proven capacity to carry out work on the ground.

More information can be found on the Alstom Foundation website.

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