Xochi Highway Project, ‘El Corredor de las Flores,’ is Awarded Envision Verified

A Guatemalan project designed to reduce traffic congestion and deliver on economic and sustainability goals becomes the first in Latin America to obtain an Envision award.

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) has awarded an Envision Verified Award to the Xochi Highway Project, Corredor de las flores, which aims to alleviate congestion along Guatemala’s Central American Highway 2 West (“CA-2 Occidente”) in the departments of Suchitepéquez and Retalhuleu. The result will be a new bypass road that connects km 142 to km 173 of CA-2 Occidente, avoiding the region’s most heavily congested cities. It is designed to not only reduce congestion and accident risks in cities and communities along the corridor, but also mitigate the visual, noise, and air pollution impacts caused by daily light and heavy vehicle traffic. Built to international safety standards, the four-lane 31-km toll road has a right-of-way width of 50 metres and a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour.

Covering an area of approximately 175 hectares, the US$257-million project includes, four road interchanges, 23 bridges (15 over rivers and 8 over local roads), acceleration and deceleration lanes, stormwater drainage systems, vaults for dry crossings, toll booths, administrative buildings with basic services, signage and metal barriers, and utility infrastructure.

The project is being implemented as a private partnership (without government participation) under the leadership of Fondo BPS, a IDC Group company, with financial support from Banco Industrial, Guatemala’s largest bank, and IDB Invest, the IDB’s private sector arm. This innovative model demonstrates that private investment can lead the way in sustainable infrastructure transformation in the region.

Quotes:

Carlos Colom, Chairman of the Board of Directors, BPS Fund:
Being the first road infrastructure project in Latin America to obtain an Envision award is further proof of the commitment of Xochi’s developers to building a world-class project that is unique in Guatemala and the region for many reasons. The Envision Framework takes into account important aspects such as improving people’s quality of life, efficient use of resources, and care for the environment, which makes us proud that such a prestigious independent evaluation recognizes our commitment to making this a unique project and a model for future development.

Luis Pedro Batres, General Manager of the Xochi Project:
As General Manager of the Xochi Project – Corredor de las Flores, I am proud to announce that we have obtained Envision verification, positioning us as the first infrastructure project in Latin America to achieve this standard. This technical achievement reflects our commitment to international best practices in sustainability, resilience, and efficiency. I congratulate the entire multidisciplinary team that worked with rigor and dedication to achieve this important milestone for our project. We deeply appreciate the support of IDB Invest, the consulting firm Typsa, and the Sustainable Infrastructure Institute (ISI), who were key partners in this process.

Rodolfo Martínez, Commercial, Operations & Maintenance Manager, Xochi Highway Project:
The Xochi Highway Project is more than just a road — it is a vital enabler of economic resilience and regional competitiveness. This corridor carries over 50% of Guatemala’s GDP and serves as the main land route between Mexico and Central America. By enhancing travel safety and reducing transit times, we are boosting the efficiency of our export industries, improving the quality of life for thousands of transporters, tourists, and residents, and opening doors for development in the southwestern communities of the country. What I admire most about this project is how it combines world-class engineering with a deep sense of environmental responsibility and social commitment. Xochi is proof that infrastructure can be sustainable, inclusive, and transformative.

Inmaculada Calama, ENV SP from TYPSA (Lead Envision Firm):
The review process of the Xochi project under the Envision framework has highlighted the significant efforts made in terms of environmental protection, improving the quality of life and economic development of the affected communities, infrastructure resilience, and leadership in sustainability that the project has incorporated since its inception, making this project an example of sustainable infrastructure.

Kailey Eldredge, Verification Director at ISI:
The Xochi Highway Project becomes the first in Latin America to receive an Envision Award — truly an achievement worth celebrating. Planning and designing this as a community-centered project, the project team remained focused on ensuring it will deliver long-term benefits to the local population. As the ‘Corredor de las flores’ brings tangible achievements that cross each area of the Envision Framework, the project can be a model for future transportation infrastructure projects to emulate.

Read more about the project’s verified sustainability achievements in the full announcement.