BajaNomad - Going North through Mexicali to Calexico

Going North through Mexicali to Calexico

elfbrewery - 3-23-2021 at 12:14 PM

My calendar says we'll be crossing the border heading north through Mexicali-Calexico on a Saturday. That may not be the best day to cross, but it works for me. I probably won't make the 2pm closing time on the East port of entry as I'm leaving from Guerrero Negro that morning.
I am looking at maps and getting online directions, but I'm not sure to trust them. Is there a new MEX-5 crossing or is there a zigzag to get to the border crossing lanes?
Thanks for any help you can give me.

West going North

PaulW - 3-23-2021 at 01:18 PM

Sorry about the bad news that we are living with.
West border crossing. With real info (your experience will be different).
For sentry and for standard both shown on the image
Advice
Sentri is doable - see the image, but with big lines on Sat, Sun, and Monday at lease until early afternoon?

Standard is pretty unacceptable for those days because of the long lines.
Image was on a Sunday with a 4.5 hour wait for standard. (how big is your bladder?)

East crossing
Standard for Sunday you need to be the end of the line at the east crossing very early in the AM (6AM) to get to the border by 2PM. For Saturday you need to be at the end of the line by 10AM
I am having the same dilemma and have decided to cross Mex east on Tuesday AM. I hope to be and be end of the at 6AM in the standard line.
Sentri line will be shorter than standard for both days.

love poems and quotes

[Edited on 3-23-2021 by BajaNomad]

elfbrewery - 3-23-2021 at 01:28 PM

I remember last year I had to go east from Mex 5, then U-turn (basically) to come back to the lines.
Anyway, the info from Google Maps and others is still incorrect, at least it looks that way to me.
Thanks for the map!

PaulW - 3-23-2021 at 01:31 PM

For the east there is the way from the east that avoids the sentri line and avoids the U turn.
We tried using the car nav system and it was very wrong for both east and west crossing. Not even close

jamiec - 3-23-2021 at 02:48 PM

Interested in the best way through as well. I have my Sentri now but when I didn't Google pointed me to the Sentri lane. Live and learn.

One way that I have looked is something like this:

1. 5 North
2. At the roundabout that is just shy of the border, taking a right (East) on Avenida Alvaro Obregon
3. Left on Calle A
4. Left on Cristobal Colon, get in the far right lane to avoid the Sentri lane.

Experienced folks, would something like this work?

[Edited on 3-24-2021 by BajaNomad]

PaulW - 3-23-2021 at 03:02 PM

jamiec,
Wrong way to both the Sentri and Standard. Study my my picture.

No problem when you follow your track you will find the barricades and new orange signs with arrows that say Calexico. Then you will pass Sentri at a new overpass and head west to the U turn back to the border.
And expect very poor signage.

Like I have said before I hate the west crossing.

AKgringo - 3-23-2021 at 03:04 PM

jamiec, that was the way I went north in March of 2020, but by November when I made a second trip, it had changed to what Paul W posted.

PaulW - 3-23-2021 at 03:20 PM

Evidence of construction. Some of the lanes entering the border still had construction debris in the driving lanes.

I honestly believe it will change again ASAP because it is a pretty bad mess. The route following the orange signs goes thru neighborhoods with dirt roads. -- Sigh.

Did I say west going N is not for me again. I will get up early and head to the east.

JZ - 3-23-2021 at 04:23 PM

If you have Sentri, Google Maps nav works perfectly.

Weekday crossings?

John M - 3-23-2021 at 04:27 PM

Paul, are weekday - mid week - at the east crossing as maddening?

I have SENTRI but my daughter doesn't and I don't particularly want to make her a pedestrian through the east crossing.

John M

PaulW - 3-23-2021 at 04:31 PM

I am sure tuesday thru thursday is the best time.

PaulW - 3-23-2021 at 04:42 PM

Google Maps
JZ is correct for Sentri. Looks like my pic. Thru the underpass to the lanes.
Could not find the standard line, but it passes the sentri on the way west over an overpass.

mtgoat666 - 3-23-2021 at 07:15 PM

Seems like the border xing street arrangements change every now and then, creating perpetual confusion and consternation...
Too bad there are all these map-heads on baja forums/FB pages, and none of them post/pin current and updated border maps (and remove the obsolete maps)...
Need some retirees with gps and adobe illustrator to take up cartography hobby...

[Edited on 3-24-2021 by mtgoat666]

JZ - 3-23-2021 at 08:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Seems like the border xing street arrangements change every now and then, creating perpetual confusion and consternation...
Too bad there are all these map-heads on baja forums/FB pages, and none of them post/pin current and updated border maps (and remove the obsolete maps)...
Need some retirees with gps and adobe illustrator to take up cartography hobby...

[Edited on 3-24-2021 by mtgoat666]

Naw, it's much simpler than that.

Just need to record a track on a GPS app, and post a pic of the satellite image with track overlay, and actual track in kmz. This is a 30 second exercise.

RFClark - 3-23-2021 at 09:18 PM

We usually cross NB at the West crossing on Saturday afternoon. Usually takes 90 min!

jamiec - 3-24-2021 at 07:50 AM

Good to know Paul. Of course, it can't be easy, what fun would that be.

elfbrewery - 3-24-2021 at 10:29 AM

RFClark-
When was the last time you did this? Was it via the new arrangement described above?
Cheers!

David K - 3-24-2021 at 10:51 AM

Amigos, when you use PostImages.org (or any photo hosting site), remember to change the photo size to fit on Nomad...

You can edit your too-big image by adding to the [img] tag so it look like this: [img=800x] for the maximum size to fit Nomad.

On PostImages, before uploading images:
Click the drop down menu that says "Do not resize my image" and change to 800x600 (the maximum on Nomad) or 640x480 (a large image size)... Let's help Doug and make reading posts easy, without sideways scrolling!

MulegeAL - 3-24-2021 at 01:21 PM

Crossed NB at west crossing 3/12.

You have to get over to the west side of things to the eastbound lanes along the border fence. That goes east and then up/over to a RH clover leaf, under pass then goes north to US border customs. 7 lanes available when we were there. Got in line around 930, that was an hour too late. Took most of 2 hours to clear out.

Maps, sats, even Google Earth don't seem to show the current construction.

Sentri, gotta get Sentri!

[Edited on 3-24-2021 by MulegeAL]

elfbrewery - 3-25-2021 at 03:09 PM

Paul -
So, for Calexico West, would it be wise to leave Mex5 sooner, going west (say on Oaxaca) to Morin and then (based on the queue) go north?
Cheers!

PaulW - 3-25-2021 at 03:34 PM

For sure you can leave Mx5 sooner (tempting) and head west, but I have not done that, so no directions. If you do that way out west use the right lane all the way to the squeeze to two lines near the cloverleafs.

My way use Hw5 to the place where the sentri line begins pass that line to the left and follow the orange signs that say "to Calexico". You will be driving west paralleling the border fence and one or two streets south of the road next to the new fence. The queue is visible from the westbound street. Go to the entry line if you see no queue or just one line.
I found there was only one line way out west. When we got to the split into two lines I was surprised because the right lane was pretty much empty until the squeeze into two lines. Then the drill would be wait for someone to take the left line and take his place in the right line. Turns out that is what the locals were doing, and we did not know that.

I have to believe it is so bad it is bound to be different. Let us know how it goes.

Best wishes

elfbrewery - 3-25-2021 at 03:42 PM

So, Paul, in a nutshell, follow Mex5 to orange signs pointing to Calexico and stay in the right lane. Correct?

PaulW - 3-25-2021 at 03:44 PM

Right lane heading east along the fence.
Go there as soon as you dare.

elfbrewery - 3-25-2021 at 03:46 PM

Got it! (I hope...) I'll turn on my GPS and record it. We're not headed that way till mid-April, so we'll see what changes creep in.
Thanks for the advice!

Lee - 3-25-2021 at 07:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

Did I say west going N is not for me again. I will get up early and head to the east.

x2. IMO, absolutely the best crossing going N.

At the crossing, told the agent about the business I had done in Todos, he started laughing, we joked about the weather, and me heading to frigid Colorado, and it was singularly the best experience I've ever had. And the route (Morin) off 5 stays clear of town kinda. And it's super easy. Agradable!

elfbrewery - 3-25-2021 at 08:21 PM

More info is great. Thanks!

azucena - 3-27-2021 at 09:21 AM

I do not know if this will be helpful or not, but I crossed on 3/25 at West.

Just to orient myself, I followed all the usual signs to Calexico. This led me to the old street right on the border fence, where you proceed until construction makes you go left. You then go down several blocks, where a desviacion sign directs you to the right, You are now in the first blocks just across the border. One block later, you are directed to Calexico via Pontinentes with a left turn. I proceeded following this to where the sign directed you to turn right.
Then it became confusing. One sign directed you to turn right, while other signs directed you to continue straight. I tossed a coin and went right. Within one block I was in line. And I ended up in the general line, not Sentri. I have no idea how one would acess the Sentri line as there was zero signage. Could be continuing straight would have got you there, but I do not know.
I did notice there were maybe two (?) openings between Sentri and general which MAY be there as an escape hatch because so many have unknowingly entered Senri with no idea they were doing so.
I was glad I did not end up there at night, it would have been difficult.
How long this will last, quien sabe. So stay tuned.
Google maps will not help you find the general crossing at this point.

[Edited on 3-27-2021 by azucena]

elfbrewery - 3-27-2021 at 11:58 AM

Good to know! Thanks!!

PaulW - 3-27-2021 at 04:05 PM

Crossed east 3/26. Arrived at end on the standard line at 5:45AM. Thru border at 6:24.
Line was long because the Queue was empty. The cop at that main road had the road closed for traffic heading N.

RFClark - 3-27-2021 at 04:48 PM

The line is around 90 minutes right now!

RFClark - 3-27-2021 at 05:21 PM

The Mexicali police are shaking down people who cut into the line too!

elfbrewery - 3-27-2021 at 05:30 PM

I think I'll replan my trip to use the East crossing. Nothing has changed there, correct?

mtgoat666 - 3-27-2021 at 06:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Naw, it's much simpler than that.

Just need to record a track on a GPS app, and post a pic of the satellite image with track overlay, and actual track in kmz. This is a 30 second exercise.

I don’t want a Kmz file when I travel. For border xing, I just want a pdf or paper print, to glance at once for directions.
Why would I spend time downloading and flocking around with a Kmz file when a glance at a map on takes only a few seconds to see a route?

The Baja travel sites are full of obsolete border xing maps, I am just looking for a source that posts updated maps, and removes obsolete/old maps.

PaulW - 3-28-2021 at 09:20 AM

One more time. Hope it does not confuse even more?
West Calexico crossing going north

Here are the best instructions I can create.

Pretty dynamic for the Mx side at the west crossing.

1)Look at maps.me or google maps and see the standard entrance on heading east (next to the border fence) to the border cloverleaf on Avenedia Colon.

2) Look at Calzada de los Presidentes and see the right lane (at the Y) entering the cloverleaf underpass which is the Sentri entrance.
If you stay on Hwy 5 you will find the orange "To Calexico " detour signs to get you over to Presidentes. Probably easier to take a left off 5 and get to Presidentes from Hwy 5 before you get to far north otherwise a long line for Sentri will require you to go back to find the end of the line?

3) For standard - When on Presidentes driving toward the Sentri you will find an orange "To Calexico ". This sign takes you LEFT over the cloverleaf and heads you west on residential roads paralleling Colon. Then take a right to get to Colon.
Sure you can get to Colon other ways – good luck.

Make a Screen print a now you have a paper map. Sketchy but functional.

elfbrewery - 3-28-2021 at 10:40 AM

That removes some of the mud, but does one still wind up going east to find a street north to Colon and then west to the border? That seems similar to last year, except the queue forms on the west, as you say.

Hmmm. Do you recommend using Camelias to get to Calzada de los Presidentes? Has anyone tried this recently?