Work Begins on Rehabilitation of Punta Esmeralda Beach Access in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Work began Monday on the rehabilitation of the access road to Punta Esmeralda public beach, a project that will keep the area closed for roughly three months and carries a contract value of nearly 23 million pesos.

Machinery and crews were already visible at the entrance as the first work began on the stretch leading to the beach.

The project was tendered by the Playa del Carmen city council under number SIyOP-FORTAMUN-013-2026, with the official name “Rehabilitation of Punta Esmeralda Beach in the Municipality of Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo.” According to municipal documents, the contract was awarded to Carlos Gualberto Calam Cuesta for 22,996,549.02 pesos, with the tender decision scheduled for July 22.

Work started after the peak summer vacation period, as anticipated by Doris Ake Sierra, secretary of infrastructure and public works.

The project includes rehabilitating the entrance road to Punta Esmeralda, adding a pedestrian zone, tactile paving, handrails for people with disabilities, and maintenance of restrooms and other facilities. The road is also being reinforced to handle heavy vehicles, including those used in sargassum removal efforts.

The project is part of the municipality’s annual operating program for this year. In April, the city council approved an amendment to the 2026 program that included Punta Esmeralda among works financed through the Fund for Municipal Strengthening (FORTAMUN).

The access closure had been announced in advance by the infrastructure department, which set an estimated execution period of three months. Work will run through September, October and November, with mid-December as a buffer in case weather causes delays.

The expectation is that the beach access will reopen before the main tourist influx in December.