An alleyway of central Aguascalientes. Photo by José Juan Figueroa.

The Context

Aguascalientes is the capital city of the state of the same name in western central Mexico. The city's name comes from the Spanish words for "hot waters," given for the many hot springs in the area. Aguascalientes is an industrial center for the car and electronics manufacturing sectors and one of Mexico's fastest growing cities.

Affordable and accessible housing is an issue for many residents, as a result of rapid growth stretching the city's limits farther and farther from the urban center. Designs for residential developments were drafted to address the population growth, but upon review in 2010, CTS-México intervened with a revised proposal to break expanding sprawl and poor mobility planning that would affect future residents.

With the new ideas incorporated in the development plans, demand for public transportation, biking and walking is expected to increase as the city continues to grow.