From here, the river flows in a generally southwesterly direction to Plaza Baquedano area, which is a focal point of the city and the site where formerly the Mapocho split into two branches.

The southern branch was turned into a promenade during the early years of the republic, and is now the Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins avenue.

Farther northwest, two highway bridges connect the north and south sides of the river, which are part of the two branches of the Autopista Central.

The Mapocho remains contaminated by household, agricultural and industrial sewage, and by upstream copper-mining waste (from the several copper mines in the Andes, east of Santiago), being dumped unfiltered into the river.

[7] In April 2016, following heavy rain, the swollen river flooded property in Santiago and contaminated the drinking water supply for millions of people.