MEXICALI.- It will be at the latest in February 2020 when the road between San Felipe and the Transpeninsular is finally 100% operable, in the area
known as Laguna Chapala, said the head of the SCT Center in Baja California Jesús Felipe Verdugo López.
He said that work is being done in the last 15 kilometers and in the culmination of some works such as bridges, signage among others. Work is also
being done on the reconstruction and remodeling of the San Felipe Puertecitos stretch, which was badly damaged by heavy rains that occurred in 2018,
hoping to conclude with everything no later than the second month of 2020.
The federal official explained that when the "B" type road is completed, people who decide to use that route will save 4 hours and a half in time,
plus what it means in fuel and wear of units.
In addition, this road is expected to be the economic and tourist trigger of this part of the State that has unique natural beauties and that are
little known by the citizens, precisely because of the ruggedness of the road.
In June of this year, the head of the SCT Center in Baja California declared that it would be at the end of this 2019 when the aforementioned road
work would be concluded, now the deadline to finish, extends until February 2020.Howard - 12-21-2019 at 09:30 AM
Some people owe me a lot of beers.Ateo - 12-21-2019 at 09:33 AM
Next up: Scorpion Bay.Bajazly - 12-21-2019 at 09:36 AM
More Black Death of Baja faster and faster.Paco Facullo - 12-21-2019 at 10:52 AM
Sad,,,,,, The end of an era ..larryC - 12-21-2019 at 02:45 PM
Just drove 5 this morning from San Felipe to Bola and there are now no detours you drive the new road bed all the way to hwy 1. Still about 2 miles of
graded road bed where the road goes over the hills but the whole trip from the original detour at km 167 all the way to hwy 1 took me 24 minutes and I
don't drive all that fast. I guess maybe I will get to see the poad completed in my lifetime.chuckie - 12-21-2019 at 03:07 PM
What a shame..mtgoat666 - 12-21-2019 at 03:30 PM
Good news!
Are the bridges all fixed? Or still having to detour thru the arroyos?
chuckie - 12-21-2019 at 04:01 PM
Wheres the Starbucks?del mar - 12-21-2019 at 04:16 PM
Much of Latin America makes good coffee and espresso-type drinks. It is a a shame that baja (and much of mexico) has risen no higher than instant
coffee.
Mexico should look to the madre patria to learn how to make a proper espresso and cafe con leche
I traveled Hwy 5 south to LA Bay and back over the Thanksgiving week.
- The road south of Puertocitos was still being worked on; mostly through drainage work. The dirt detours through this section were well graded.
- The 9 bridges area still had detours and did not look as if the work to restore the road and reconnect the washouts to the bridges was close to
being completed.
- The new section of Hwy 5 south of Gonzaga was nearly complete with only 1-2 miles of dirt around the construction encampment. Seemed a bit unfair to
breeze through this region so quickly when compared to the many years of driving through the construction.
- CAUTION: The "completion" of this road may lull travelers into a sense of complacency, but several portions of the new section are highly
susceptible to rock fall and land slides. It was raining on our way back north, and we had to stop several times in areas where the road was cut
through rock to wait for front loaders and road graders to clear the debris from recent rock fall. Many of the vehicle-sized boulders that made it
onto the road would have been a game ender for any would be non-suspecting traveler.
- Also, driving north just past the construction camp, a semi full of rebar had slid backward on a muddy grade which jackknifed the truck and blocked
the entire road. Had to detour via the Cocos corner route to continue north - possibly the last time we'll see his place before he moves to the new
location. PaulW - 12-22-2019 at 08:51 AM
Concerning the bridge repairs.
I guess Larry should elaborate for Goat and David?
He said no detours.msteve1014 - 12-22-2019 at 09:41 AM
there are still detours around the damaged bridges, not on the newer south end David K - 12-22-2019 at 10:40 AM
I think Larry was referring to the Gonzaga to Chapala section, not the bridge problems which are between Puertecitos and Gonzaga.larryC - 12-23-2019 at 08:59 AM
Some of the bridge go arounds are repaired but 4 or 5 are still unrepaired but are being worked on, surprisingly when I drove it Saturday morn they
had crews working. Unusual so close to Christmas. The worst part of the drive from San Diego to BoLA was from Chapala to BoLA turn off. Very narrow
and no shoulder.
I'm referring to Puertocitos K75 to K122 where the southern most washout is.
[Edited on 12-23-2019 by larryC]OCEANUS - 12-23-2019 at 09:05 AM
Larry, I agree.
Much of the new road construction down the peninsula is replacing the older, narrow roads with wider lanes. So, when you happen upon those stretches
of old road between Catavina and the LA Bay turnoff, you feel constricted by the lack of pavement. David K - 12-23-2019 at 01:23 PM
I would appreciate any Nomads who will take time to write down the kilometer markers for points from Gonzaga to Chapala and share here.
John M did report the north road to Coco's Corner was at Km. 179 (and the La Turquesa Canyon road was at Km. 176). I photographed the last Km. marker
at Hwy. 1 (Km. 200). It has since been plastered with stickers.
Based on Km. 147 being near the Gonzaga gas station and Km. 167 being near the former end of pavement (2014-2017), these newest markers noted (176,
179, 200) would all be 3 kms too great...?
There was a year or so that the Gonzaga marker was 150 and the last one before the detour was 170 but have since been reduced 3 kms. to 147 and 167. I
only wonder if that error was not adjusted for the latest section of paving?
Thanks for humoring my need for detail until I can return to Hwy. 5 since my last time in May 2019, before the newest markers were in place.
