BajaNomad

Blvd. 2000 (Popotla-Otay) Article (Baja Times)

David K - 1-25-2007 at 11:36 AM

http://www.bajatimes.com/art2.html

thebajarunner - 1-25-2007 at 11:43 AM

David, we read the article and then heard XM say that the wait was shorter at Otay.
So we took this new road on Monday.
It is interesting, quick (not a great paving job, oh well) and desolate.
And, what they do not say is that it takes you a long way around, and then it is a slow slug back to Otay once you connect up to the outskirts of TJ.
And then, you have to plod along on 905, past Brown Field and back to I-5.
Unless there is a really compelling reason it is not a great alternative to simply getting back across the border.
(Compelling reasons include not being able to get to the San Ysidro gates, obviously)

David K - 1-25-2007 at 12:28 PM

Yes, it takes you a couple miles east of the Otay Border... It is a great short cut to Teacte for people coming from near Rosarito, however.

Here is the route, from space...

blvd-r.JPG - 50kB

The Gull - 1-25-2007 at 01:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by thebajarunner
David, we read the article and then heard XM say that the wait was shorter at Otay.
So we took this new road on Monday.
It is interesting, quick (not a great paving job, oh well) and desolate.
And, what they do not say is that it takes you a long way around, and then it is a slow slug back to Otay once you connect up to the outskirts of TJ.
And then, you have to plod along on 905, past Brown Field and back to I-5.
Unless there is a really compelling reason it is not a great alternative to simply getting back across the border.
(Compelling reasons include not being able to get to the San Ysidro gates, obviously)


Whoa, I drive the new 2000 road all hours of the day and night and it takes less than 40 minutes from Popotla to being in line at OTAY. It is about 30 minutes at 6 am. It does not cost a toll. The drive from OTAY crossing to 805 is 8 minutes. With a SENTRI lane that is seldom busy and non-SENTRI lines less 1/2 the size of San Ysidro crossing...what was the question again?

oops! I made a mistake. People do not take the new road it is terrible, you will get lost and it doesn't save you any time or stress. There for a minute, I had lost my mind and was suggesting Nomads flock to the OTAY crossing. I won't do that again.:spingrin::spingrin::spingrin:

check out David's space foto

thebajarunner - 1-25-2007 at 02:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by The Gull
Quote:
Originally posted by thebajarunner
David, we read the article and then heard XM say that the wait was shorter at Otay.
So we took this new road on Monday.
It is interesting, quick (not a great paving job, oh well) and desolate.
And, what they do not say is that it takes you a long way around, and then it is a slow slug back to Otay once you connect up to the outskirts of TJ.
And then, you have to plod along on 905, past Brown Field and back to I-5.
Unless there is a really compelling reason it is not a great alternative to simply getting back across the border.
(Compelling reasons include not being able to get to the San Ysidro gates, obviously)


Whoa, I drive the new 2000 road all hours of the day and night and it takes less than 40 minutes from Popotla to being in line at OTAY. It is about 30 minutes at 6 am. It does not cost a toll. The drive from OTAY crossing to 805 is 8 minutes. With a SENTRI lane that is seldom busy and non-SENTRI lines less 1/2 the size of San Ysidro crossing...what was the question again?

oops! I made a mistake. People do not take the new road it is terrible, you will get lost and it doesn't save you any time or stress. There for a minute, I had lost my mind and was suggesting Nomads flock to the OTAY crossing. I won't do that again.:spingrin::spingrin::spingrin:


That baby makes a serious, I mean serious detour to the East before swinging back.
As to 8 minutes to 805..... not at 3:30 p.m. it ain't!!!!!
They have carefully synchronized the stoplights, so you get to stop at each, and then wait out all the various functions before getting sent to the next intersection.
Took a good 20+ minutes to make that short hop, about what it would have taken from Rosarito to San Ysidro gate.
O.K. I promise never to take it again.

By the way, those who do take Otay, the far left lane splits, then splits again up close, which makes it the speed secret.

David K - 1-25-2007 at 05:46 PM

Yah, don't use the new free highway!!:lol::lol::lol:

Seriously, Baja Nomads in line aren't what is backing up the wait... It was just a coincidence that we raved about no lines in Tecate until the wait became longer than TJ!

Tecate northbound is a government blunder... All that new work and entrance road just to have the same number of gates (2) that has been at Tecate since I was a kid... only with 100 times more traffic!!

DENNIS - 1-25-2007 at 05:49 PM

And 100 times more bad attitude from the gate keepers.

David K - 1-25-2007 at 05:51 PM

bajarunner, the distance from Otay border to I-805 isn't really that much... There's three lanes (each direction) and only about 4-5 signals (I think)... You just caught it at a really bad time, I guess.

I think you just need to consider the pain of the border crossing ordeal is the proving grounds to see if Baja is really important enough to you.

Of course, Baja is... So we put up with the 1-2 hour wait and the border city traffic... We keep going back, afterall... right?:yes:

thebajarunner - 1-25-2007 at 05:57 PM

I agree that the time of day was bad,
but, it is at least double the traditional distance, comparing SY to Otay,
yeah, definitely a better way to get to Tecate, to endure the two gate special.
and, I stand by my comments re 905 and the traffic lights, they were really killers in mid-afternoon, sat through a full cycle at every one of them.

OTAY Experience

The Gull - 1-26-2007 at 09:50 AM

Runner,

Everyone knows the left lane splits into 2-3 lanes, but what happens when the HLS bozos don't open those extra lanes?

Had that happen when crossing with friends the other day - ugh. The Lane next to that far left lane was the magic lane that day.

Who stops at the lights on the road from the crossing to 805? The duration of the green lights going west are just short of forever!!!!!!

I get peeed off because I have to wait sooooo long in the left turn lane to get to the ARCO station on that road that has the cheapest gas in San Diego County. Being the cheapest also assures the longest lines, but hey, I saved all that time sitting in line and avoided my motor running for hours.

Also, generally, the OTAY crossers are not like the maniac aggressive a-holes who dive in and out lanes and ride your bumper like at SY crossing.

But, please NOMADS, do not use the OTAY crossing. You won't like it.

[Edited on 1-26-2007 by The Gull]

DENNIS - 1-26-2007 at 02:27 PM

Now, I have to try it. I love being miserable. Shorter wait, fewer stupid questions, less traffic....... my kind of misery.

NOMAD ALERT

The Gull - 1-26-2007 at 03:17 PM

Do not follow Dennis to the Otay crossing. You won't like it.:tumble::tumble::spingrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Gadget - 7-15-2007 at 09:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by thebajarunner
I agree that the time of day was bad,
but, it is at least double the traditional distance, comparing SY to Otay,
yeah, definitely a better way to get to Tecate, to endure the two gate special.
and, I stand by my comments re 905 and the traffic lights, they were really killers in mid-afternoon, sat through a full cycle at every one of them.


We took the new route back from the 500 in June with 7 crew trucks in tow. 5 hour wait to cross. We listened on our radios as crew in TJ got turned back from the gates twice and they still made it across before us. One of our diverted crew came up from TJ, took a wrong turn and ended up at the cops blocking off the side entrance below the bridge, payed him $20 to let them through and was across in 45 min. One of our guys had time to replace his fan clutch while in line!!! We didn't move 4 times for 30 minutes with engines off. I got no answers here, I just plan accordingly. :barf:

David K - 7-16-2007 at 08:31 AM

The new route was not the problem, Otay border line was... that day, after the Baja 500... right? An alternate would be to drive to Tecate.

See you in El Rosario, Gadget!

bajabound2005 - 7-16-2007 at 08:52 AM

We LOVE this new road. It's a bigger advantage to SENTRI pass holders than others as you don't have to wend your way through TJ to find the SENTRI lane. And there is absolutely no traffic on Blvd 2000 and no tolls. Yes, it is desolate and there are spots where you can't even get cell phone service - I wouldn't be to eager to take it in the dark.

[Edited on 7-16-2007 by bajabound2005]

Baja Bernie - 7-16-2007 at 09:23 AM

Runner,

Check under your vehicle I think you will find that someone placed one of those ‘gadgets’ that turn all the signals green for the fire trucks…………..they just installed it backwards on your rig.

It is a shame that they did not design the 2000 for gringos…..the Mexicans who need to get to the state capital on business find it a real advantage and a time saver.

SENTRI

bajaguy - 7-16-2007 at 09:33 AM

Get one!!!!!!!!!!

OOP's, was I supposed to say that????

Baja&Back - 7-16-2007 at 11:20 AM

Doesn't matter what lane you pick - it's always the slowest. Same at Canadian border.

- Murphy :rolleyes:

Not the only thing installed backwards

thebajarunner - 7-16-2007 at 06:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Baja Bernie
Runner,

Check under your vehicle I think you will find that someone placed one of those ‘gadgets’ that turn all the signals green for the fire trucks…………..they just installed it backwards on your rig.

It is a shame that they did not design the 2000 for gringos…..the Mexicans who need to get to the state capital on business find it a real advantage and a time saver.


Bern, I think you are right.
Unfortunately, of late, I fear that much of the "add-ons" in my life have been installed backwards.
Oh well, nothing a quick trip to Baja would not fix.
Ooops, I was just there a couple weeks ago, but no tickets, and no bad vibes...

The new name for Blvd 2000

Mexicali_Kid - 7-26-2008 at 06:53 PM

So many dead bodies have been turning up on the new road that it's now call it the "Cemetery of the Open Sky".

bajabound2005 - 7-26-2008 at 10:34 PM

We love 2000 to Otay. Cross at the SENTRI, take the 905 to the new toll road (125) and can be at Otay Lakes in 3 minutes. If you are headed to the 5 then crossing at SY makes more sense. But for points east of San Diego, Otay is the way to go. And the wait is almost always shorter.