BajaNomad

Pot holes

jkruk - 1-15-2018 at 07:34 PM

Had a recent report that the pot holes from chapala to Guerro Negro are sooo bad you need 4x4 compound low. Any updates appreciated heading south tues, the snow is a coming.

mtgoat666 - 1-15-2018 at 08:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by jkruk  
Had a recent report that the pot holes from chapala to Guerro Negro are sooo bad you need 4x4 compound low. Any updates appreciated heading south tues, the snow is a coming.


Same as it ever was

And getting worse

BajaBill74 - 1-15-2018 at 08:33 PM

I think the Green Angles are going to supply a crane to lift the cars out.

Sr.vienes - 1-15-2018 at 09:17 PM

Well I done a little of that pothole patching as a young man and on that skinny road with all those high speed trucks it takes more nerve than Buffalo Bill to work out there. However I’m sure those little orange vests will save you, or at least distinguish you from the coyote remains.

brucedog - 1-16-2018 at 07:16 AM

6 weeks ago it was worse than I have ever seen. A friend drives LA-Cabo every month and he would concur that is is super bad right now

weebray - 1-16-2018 at 08:09 AM

Baja California has little incentive to maintain a road that just provides an avenue for people to pass through on their way to drop a load of cash in Baja California Sur. People forget that they are driving through two states.

rancho guillermo - 1-16-2018 at 08:38 AM

just as everyone is stating here...the Potholes are bad. Drove it two weeks ago and a lot of "street Racer" type cars with low profile tires sitting on the side of the road. This was after they passed us really going fast. We knocked a head lite loose. Crazy driving thru there...take your time.

Russ - 1-16-2018 at 08:39 AM

Drove up last week. Yes there are some deep holes but I've seen a lot more and longer stretches of the bad stuff. South bound side appears worse.

Udo - 1-16-2018 at 09:04 AM

The problems of the pot holes are in Baja California North. The two governors have different perspectives on road maintenance.


Quote: Originally posted by weebray  
Baja California has little incentive to maintain a road that just provides an avenue for people to pass through on their way to drop a load of cash in Baja California Sur. People forget that they are driving through two states.

bajaguy - 1-16-2018 at 09:14 AM

There is no ongoing maintenance program of any kind for any road. They pave it and walk away. No crack sealing or no oil coat on an annual basis. Potholes are patched without doing proper preparation. Not enough time to do it correctly, but plenty of time to do it over and over.

And don't forget the unenforced weight limits on commercial truck traffic
Quote: Originally posted by Udo  
The problems of the pot holes are in Baja California North. The two governors have different perspectives on road maintenance.

Sunman - 1-16-2018 at 09:41 AM

Confirmed bad to REALLY bad. Was following a compact car and it hit one so hard I could not believe the tire did not blow.

Heard reports that there are some REALLY REALLY bad one's in the Catavina area but we didn't go that route this time.

JZ - 1-16-2018 at 09:54 AM

2-3 weeks ago, somewhere just North of GN a bus slammed on its breaks around a bad pot hole stretch. We were going the other way. Watched a semi slam on its breaks and avoid hitting the bus by inches as smoke bellowed from its tires and it swerved into our lane. We had plenty of distance to get off the road thankfully.


[Edited on 1-16-2018 by JZ]

mtgoat666 - 1-16-2018 at 09:55 AM

...and the road is only going to get worse.

David K - 1-16-2018 at 10:08 AM

Odd that governors have any say on a FEDERAL highway... but there is a difference between the two states as far as how Hwy. 1 is maintained.

One factor is that Guerrero Negro is a sizable city at the north edge of Baja Ca Sur. In the other state, nothing 'big' in either population or commercial crops is south of El Rosario or San Felipe to the state border. L.A. Bay may be the exception. Highway 5 paved section south of Puertecitos is good because it is new and built to the newer highway standards. The 50 miles north of Puertecitos is old style, narrow highway with the terrain following (vados) instead of bridges and culverts installed.

Udo - 1-16-2018 at 01:57 PM

I was thinking that if you are on your way to BCS, you could avoid some of the pot holes below Cataviña, but after Lake Chapala you would still have 30 miles of the craters.

JZ - 1-16-2018 at 02:24 PM

Most of Baja Sur has cell service as well. Forget about it north of GN.

billklaser - 1-16-2018 at 03:44 PM

Drove up last Thursday from Loreto. Agree potholes are bad, however did see Bacheros working in the Northern areas. Just slow down.

cliffh - 1-16-2018 at 03:51 PM

The gov. of Baja norte just signed a bill to fix roads, time will tell keep your fingers crossed

Udo - 1-16-2018 at 04:13 PM

I was told by the office of tourism in Northern Baja that the Feds give money to the states to fix roads as needed that are on the Federal zone. But what happens to that money after it is awarded, is anyone's guess (just as is in the USA).

rts551 - 1-17-2018 at 02:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Odd that governors have any say on a FEDERAL highway... but there is a difference between the two states as far as how Hwy. 1 is maintained.

One factor is that Guerrero Negro is a sizable city at the north edge of Baja Ca Sur. In the other state, nothing 'big' in either population or commercial crops is south of El Rosario or San Felipe to the state border. L.A. Bay may be the exception. Highway 5 paved section south of Puertecitos is good because it is new and built to the newer highway standards. The 50 miles north of Puertecitos is old style, narrow highway with the terrain following (vados) instead of bridges and culverts installed.


While the feds provide SOME funding for building and maintenance it is up to each State to build and maintain them. Thus the signs congratulating the governor etc. Just a different way of doing things by giving local control.

rts551 - 1-17-2018 at 02:41 PM

Since the governor stole some money from other projects to supplement maintenance on hwy 1, I wonder if hwy5 will ever get paved.

MexicoDiesel - 1-19-2018 at 02:19 PM

I took the initiative to email the Federal Secretaria de Communicaciones y Transportes about the potholes after Catavina, and I did receive a reply. Here's the text:


"Thank you for contact us at the SCT web site, in attention to your report about :

“..the APPALLING condition for more than 100 kms in the section between El Rosario and Guerrero Negro”

First, I would like to apologize for the troubles and frustration that you experienced lately. We want you to know that your feedback will give us the chance to consider as priority those 100 kms of Highway 1 in 2018.
We are recently notified about the assignation of $985.7 million funding from the Federation Expenditure Budget (PEF) to invest in the Baja California´s infrastructure, which include $210.0 million to maintenance, reconstruction and rehabilitation of our federal highways and bridges.

Once again, we are sorry for the inconveniences that situation caused all of you, foreign tourism is very appreciated for us.


Best regards,
Adriana Rodriguez Chavez"