Arco Norte
| Route information | |
|---|---|
| Length: | 223 km (139 mi) |
| To: |
 Autopista Mexico City-Querétaro toll road |
| Highway system | |
The Arco Norte (lit.: Northern Arc) is a toll road in Mexico. It serves as a bypass around Greater Mexico City and currently links the Mexico-Puebla toll road on the east with the Mexico-Querétaro toll road on the west. Currently the road is 169 km long, with a total planned length of 223 km.
The highway begins east of Mexico City near San Martín Texmelucan de Labastida, which lies just inside Puebla state. The highway has 2 lanes in each direction and begins northward through low mountains at 2500m above sea level. It continues through the western side of Tlaxcala state, then through the area where the states of Mexico and Hidalgo border each other, at about 2400m above sea level. The highway bends to the west, with few exits in the area. It serves few large population centers. As it reaches Tula the area is greener and lies about 2000m above sea level. Then it rises to about 2400m and ends at the junction with the Mexico-Querétaro toll road.
Construction of the Arco Norte began on February 28, 2006. The currently built section opened in July 2009 (between the Autopista Mexico - Puebla and the Autopista Mexico - Querétaro, 169 km).[1]
Plans are for the Arco Norte to be extended at its western end from the junction with the Mexico-Querétaro toll road to Atlacomulco and the junction with Mexican Federal Highway 126, a route to Guadalajara.
The toll in 2011 for the 169km section that was open was 225 Mexican pesos.[2]