In the past several weeks, Mexico’s national tourism board, FONATUR (Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo) began the process of removing roughly 22,000 palm trees that currently reside in the median of Highway 307, which runs from Cancun down through Tulum. The space left will be occupied by the Maya Train, which will provide alternative transportation for visitors traveling throughout the Yucatan Peninsula.
Due to lower tourism numbers as a result of COVID-19, the work has not caused significant traffic delays for local residents and tourists. The majority of the trees will be relocated to nurseries until they are able to be repurposed. Another several thousand will be sent out of state for other beautification projects.
