This stretch of highway improvement is virtually complete and what a difference it makes. Travel times between Antigua and the city are cut in about half what they have been for the past year. If you drive here, it is a big improvement. Even if you only ride the buses or tourist vans, you now have a much faster trip between these two points. Sad this administration is going out of office...they have accomplished alot. A president in Guatemala can only have one term.
1
chefhagan
You are right Latina Alma, now almost finally finished, the new Guate-Antigua road is the bomb! I just went from pana to guate in an hour and forty-five minutes, my personal best. Just think, when they finish the Tecpan-Los Ecuentros section and then Los-Ecuentros-Xela part and the the new airport! Wow! Like 1st world! They are working hard and if only the money holds we may see it happen. That is why I am rooting for the narco-traficante canidate. They don't need to steal all the money because they already have tons of it. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
2
xinloi
To #1--took us 4 hours to go from Antigua to Pana 2 weeks ago--took a short cut. Took 2.5 hours to return. Shuttles were NOT going thru Solola but coming into Pana from the road along Rio Panachel.
3
anyone101
<blockquote>Quote
<hr>If a stretch of road is designed to do 70 mph plus... can the chicken bus drivers handle it?<hr></blockquote>
I am sure they'll LOVE that. Because now they can hit 90mph instead.
4
chefhagan
#3-- Shuttles are typically pretty slow. I have a nice 4x4 and make good time. Normally 2 hours pana-guate. The "short-cut" through Patzun you speak of is the only way a local would go. It has always been 45 minutes faster and now with the construction between Tecpan-Los Encuentros much more. I only go that way if I have friends/tourists with me. I do the trip about twice a month.
5
latina alma
Chefhagan...I have always avoided going through Patzun and using that route as several years ago there were highway banditos working the highway there in pickups (quite a few reports on the US Embassy site about three or four years ago and I talked with some people from Patzun then who said they used that route but kept their fingers crossed cause they had a new vehicle).....so is that way now pretty safe from banditos??? It would cut down on drive times for sure if it is! So is that why you only go that way if you have friends...is it not safe w/o????WHat's up?
6
chefhagan
Latina Alma... You are right, 6-7 years ago they had some problems on that road but in the last 5 years or so I have neither, heard, seen or experienced any problems. A few years back the police had cars stationed between Goninez and Patzun but that has even stopped. I go that way about twice a month and everyone I know who lives here goes that way. I even have friends who work in Antigua who go that way twice a week. All the empty shuttle buses go that way. The only negative is that it is pretty isolated and there is no cell service between Godinez and Patzun so a minor breakdown could be a problem. Almost everytime I go now I see at least 1-2 dozen other cars or vans as well as the usual few trucks and a bus or two. When I have my mom or other friends I go through Tecpan because there are more services and nice restaurants and stuff. Driving wise, the Patzicia-Patzun route is much more relaxing and I fell safer because there are no "chicken" buses, big trucks or other crazies doing god knows what and from Patzicia on you must go slower because the road twists and turns a lot. I drove it twice last week and will again next week. An easy 2hrs to Guate.
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