Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, October 28, 2026 – The federal government inaugurated the Amado Nervo Bridge Wednesday, opening a toll-free road crossing between Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas.
The 963 million peso project crosses the Ameca River through the Ixtapa–San Vicente corridor. Vehicles began crossing in both directions after the inauguration, giving residents another route between Jalisco and Nayarit.
For people who cross the state line for work, school, or appointments, the immediate question is straightforward: how will this change the trip between Vallarta and Bahía?
The clearest change is for journeys between communities served by the new crossing. Someone traveling from Ixtapa to San Vicente, for example, now has an alternative to reaching the other municipality through the existing Highway 200 crossing.
That alternative is now available for the return journey, too. Vallarta Daily reported on October 21 that drivers had crossed toward Bahía de Banderas on October 20 while the opposite direction remained unavailable. Wednesday’s inauguration follows that period of partial use.
The bridge has three traffic lanes in each direction and a cycle lane. Its main structure measures approximately 800 meters, while the overall project, including its approaches, extends roughly two kilometers.
President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the crossing remotely during her morning press conference at Palacio Nacional. Federal Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation Secretary Jesús Esteva Medina and Nayarit Gov. Miguel Ángel Navarro attended at the bridge; Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus joined the president in Mexico City.
The purpose is to give some cross-river traffic another way through the metropolitan area. Esteva said Highway 200 carries approximately 73,000 vehicles daily, a parallel route linking Federación Boulevard on both sides.
Lemus pointed directly to the pressure on the existing crossing.
“The current Ameca bridge, a traditional connection, is completely saturated,” he said, highlighting Ixtapa and El Pitillal among the areas expected to benefit.
Officials projected travel savings of up to 40 minutes at Wednesday’s opening. The SICT’s September 7 completion announcement had estimated 25 minutes. These are official projections rather than measured results from regular operation; savings on an individual trip will depend on its starting point, destination, and traffic along the approaches.
Those approaches are part of how the project is intended to work. Lemus said the state governments’ complementary roads include three lanes in each direction, cycle infrastructure, and sidewalks, continuing the bridge’s configuration into the surrounding road network.
The investment also extends beyond the structure itself. The secretary put the bridge construction at 760 million pesos and the total at 963 million after including land rights and complementary works.
For someone making a round trip between San Vicente and Ixtapa, Wednesday’s opening brings a specific change: both legs can now use the same toll-free river crossing.
