BajaNomad

Boulevard 2000 open!

Dave - 8-21-2006 at 06:40 PM

This means that travelers can now bypass TJ and Rosarito. And no tolls! (yet) :biggrin:

Today, a friend made it from Tecate to the Fox studio exit in 35 minutes!

I have to go to Otay on Wednesday. I'll take the new bypass and report back.

elgatoloco - 8-21-2006 at 06:44 PM

Looking forward to your report!

Drive safely. :biggrin:

http://www.bajacalifornia.gob.mx/fideicomiso/avances.htm

Oso - 8-21-2006 at 06:54 PM

I'm guessing it's not on any regular maps yet. Anyone have any (readable) graphics?

[Edited on 8-22-2006 by Oso]

BornFisher - 8-21-2006 at 06:57 PM

Thanks Dave-- I look forward to trying this new camino!
And I just might stop by for your report!!

comitan - 8-21-2006 at 07:05 PM

It would be nice if someone would post where you access it and where it goes.

bajamigo - 8-21-2006 at 07:12 PM

Ditto, comitan. And belated feliz cumpleanos.

Dave - 8-21-2006 at 07:16 PM

From what I understand, the entrance/exit is only currently accessible from the free road. So...Traveling from the South you would have to take the Puerto Nuevo exit off the cuota and travel North on the free road to position yourself to enter B2000. When taking B2000 South from Otay the exit would place you on the free road Southbound at Popotla.

This will change when they complete the merge lanes to/from the cuota. Also, I would expect travel times to change as they will probably add traffic lights along the route.

Oso, the Southern end is at Popotla. The Northern end is supposedly a couple miles West of the toll gate for Tecate. I'll let you know exactly on Wednesday.

In the old days---------

Barry A. - 8-21-2006 at 07:37 PM

---You could drive from eastern TJ to Rosarito Beach thru the mountains-------in fact it was the main road. Is this a good way to bypass the toll road between TJ and Rosarita Beach?

Bruce R Leech - 8-21-2006 at 07:54 PM

thanks for the report Dave nice to have some good news.

toneart - 8-21-2006 at 08:05 PM

I too will look forward to your report, Dave. Do you think the diminished tolls would cause a more vigilent patrol of the TJ/Rosarito corredor? It seems that former police may be the perpetrators. The Baja Norte government knows who they are. Eventually lack of revenue should activate the government as these incedents get publicized. The public, business communities and the press, Mexican and Gringo, should put on the pressure. It is not only the lack of revenue from tolls, but also lack of revenue from tourism that is essential to the Mexican economy. This is HUGE!

elgatoloco - 8-21-2006 at 10:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
---You could drive from eastern TJ to Rosarito Beach thru the mountains-------in fact it was the main road. Is this a good way to bypass the toll road between TJ and Rosarita Beach?


Still doable. It's called the libre. We take it often when heading north. It takes you right to the SENTRI line. It's also the best way to go if you are headed for Otay crossing.

elgatoloco - 8-21-2006 at 10:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by toneart
I too will look forward to your report, Dave. Do you think the diminished tolls would cause a more vigilent patrol of the TJ/Rosarito corredor? It seems that former police may be the perpetrators. The Baja Norte government knows who they are. Eventually lack of revenue should activate the government as these incedents get publicized. The public, business communities and the press, Mexican and Gringo, should put on the pressure. It is not only the lack of revenue from tolls, but also lack of revenue from tourism that is essential to the Mexican economy. This is HUGE!


It is huge. When the revenues drop the prices just go up.

Viva Mexico!

Oso - 8-22-2006 at 07:57 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by elgatoloco
Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
---You could drive from eastern TJ to Rosarito Beach thru the mountains-------in fact it was the main road. Is this a good way to bypass the toll road between TJ and Rosarita Beach?


Still doable. It's called the libre. We take it often when heading north. It takes you right to the SENTRI line. It's also the best way to go if you are headed for Otay crossing.


Sounds like it's improved. The last time I took the libre many years ago, it was about 10 mph between gravel and hog trucks belching black smoke and stirring up clouds of dust.

David K - 8-22-2006 at 09:30 AM

Libre vs. Cuota...

After the 2005 Pyramid Resort Book Party... Doug (Baja Nomad) and I left at the same time. He took the Libre and I took the Toll road back to San Ysidro and I was surprised at how close we were to getting to the border... We cell phoned each other in the border line and he was just a few hundred feet behind me.

I just don't like stop and go traffic, with signals if there is a non-stop alternative... even longer in miles.

Soulpatch

Baja Bernie - 8-22-2006 at 12:17 PM

Take San Ysidro south and come back north through Tecate and then stop by the Barrett Cafe for a great fish dinner. Except Tecate can be a bear on the weekends.

fandango - 8-22-2006 at 08:08 PM

would 94 be the best route to get to tecate from the orange county area? on a map it looks like it is about 40 miles from the 5 in san diego to tecate.
baja bernie: the barrett cafe sounds like a good idea. is it easy to spot?

fandango

Baja Bernie - 8-22-2006 at 10:04 PM

Yep, 94 will get you there. Barrett is very hard to miss as it is down in a hollow where 94 passes by. High hills, mountains down this way, on both approaches. When you get to a high spot on the east of Barrett is where you should start looking for the signs to Tecate. (not like David--I can't remember the name of the turn off--his young mind is a trap) A fun trip in either direction. Once in Tecate you take Hwy 3 south and end up in San Miguel just north of Ensenada.
Enjoy!

David can tell you about some really good cafe's in Tecate.

David K - 8-22-2006 at 10:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by fandango
would 94 be the best route to get to tecate from the orange county area? on a map it looks like it is about 40 miles from the 5 in san diego to tecate.
baja bernie: the barrett cafe sounds like a good idea. is it easy to spot?


To get to 94 and avoid San Diego:

I-5 to I-805 to Hwy. 52 east past Santee where it turns into Hwy. 125 south to Hwy. 94 east... all freeway! Do not go near the area between 3:30 and 6:30 weekdays!

David K - 8-22-2006 at 10:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Yep, 94 will get you there. Barrett is very hard to miss as it is down in a hollow where 94 passes by. High hills, mountains down this way, on both approaches. When you get to a high spot on the east of Barrett is where you should start looking for the signs to Tecate. (not like David--I can't remember the name of the turn off--his young mind is a trap) A fun trip in either direction. Once in Tecate you take Hwy 3 south and end up in San Miguel just north of Ensenada.
Enjoy!

David can tell you about some really good cafe's in Tecate.


Barrett is good... Casa Vieja in Tecate is good... the expert on Tecate is Roy, The Squarecircle on Nomad!

Dave - 8-23-2006 at 03:22 PM

Report:

It took less than 20 minutes to travel from Popotla to the TJ-Tecate toll gate entrance, the Eastern terminus of B2000. An additional 10 minutes back West on Industrial to the Otay border crossing. All 4 lane and no detours.

Who should use this route?

All those traveling from the East could enter at Tecate and avoid San Diego, San Ysidro and TJ completely. Same in reverse. And If I were towing a big rig from Rosarito to San Felipe I would use this to go to Mexicali and then down.

For travelers Northbound:

Once they complete the on/off ramps from the cuota this would save at least 45 min for those needing to cross into the U.S. from Otay.

From SoCal:

IMO, and unless towing a big rig, entering at Otay to backtrack to B2000 doesn't make sense. Best to use San Ysidro and the cuota. Same in Reverse.

Hook - 8-23-2006 at 03:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by fandango
would 94 be the best route to get to tecate from the orange county area? on a map it looks like it is about 40 miles from the 5 in san diego to tecate.
baja bernie: the barrett cafe sounds like a good idea. is it easy to spot?


To get to 94 and avoid San Diego:

I-5 to I-805 to Hwy. 52 east past Santee where it turns into Hwy. 125 south to Hwy. 94 east... all freeway! Do not go near the area between 3:30 and 6:30 weekdays!


Certainly this is a much longer route, timewise and mileagewise, than if you left the 5-805 split and continued through to San Ysidro, no? Assuming similar traffic on both routes, of course.

I cant see the advantage headed south if you are going below, say, La Mision. Except, of course, toll avoidance of two stations. Or maybe the potential police mordida avoidance thru TJ? The toll road is pretty darn quick.

David K - 8-23-2006 at 04:10 PM

He wanted to get to Tecate...

I personally never drive all the way east to Tecate, just to end up back west in Ensenada! Unless I am going to Antonio's home or business (which is close to Otay), I cross at San Ysidro and head for the toll road via the border fence route.

fandango - 8-24-2006 at 11:30 AM

Report:

It took less than 20 minutes to travel from Popotla to the TJ-Tecate toll gate entrance, the Eastern terminus of B2000. An additional 10 minutes back West on Industrial to the Otay border crossing. All 4 lane and no detours.

dave: if it is only about 10 minutes from the otay border to the b2000, wouldn't it be an easy route to completely bypass tijuana? the drive from san ysidro to the first toll can be challanging! other than on/off ramps not complete, is there another reason you don't recommend this route unless coming from the east?

huh?

The Gull - 8-25-2006 at 03:24 PM

Yeah Dave, I'm with Fandango. If I can get to the Otay crossing from Calafia in 30 minutes, why would I want TJ crossing. I have Sentri and sometimes the S.Y. crossing sucks.

Dave - 8-25-2006 at 05:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by fandango
dave: if it is only about 10 minutes from the otay border to the b2000, wouldn't it be an easy route to completely bypass tijuana? the drive from san ysidro to the first toll can be challanging! other than on/off ramps not complete, is there another reason you don't recommend this route unless coming from the east?


Because:

When headed South from SoCal, time from SY via the cuota or Otay via B2000 is the same, and SY is a whole lot less miles. PLUS the additional miles just to get to Otay from 5 or 805.

Northbound the same logic applies. Once you get to Otay you would still need to drive back to the 805 or 5. If traveling to Arizona or points East, B2000 makes sense because the terminus is at the toll road to Tecate. 15-20 minutes more and you would be at the Tecate crossing.

Another consideration is that there is not yet a connection from the cuota to B2000. Southbound would put you on the free road for 6-7 miles. Northbound traffic would need to exit the cuota at the Puerto Nuevo exit. That can add an additional 10-15 minutes.

Dave - 8-25-2006 at 05:52 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by The Gull
Yeah Dave, I'm with Fandango. If I can get to the Otay crossing from Calafia in 30 minutes, why would I want TJ crossing. I have Sentri and sometimes the S.Y. crossing sucks.


For Sentri I agree. MUCH easier to get to the Sentri lanes at Otay