TecateRay - 2-8-2007 at 11:47 AM
I'll be heading to San Felipe next month and I have heard that you can bypass most of Mexicali by taking the toll road from Tecate. Has anyone done
this? Is there a special turnoff on the west side of Mexicali?
David K - 2-8-2007 at 05:47 PM
Yes, it avoids all of Mexicali... From Tecate you hop onto it after climbing out of the Laguna Salada basin... It joins 2-D near the Pemex fuel tank
depot...
Photos at the end of my web page on that trip last August: http://community-2.webtv.net/thebaja/806
Map shows the approximate location...
When you are driving north from San Felipe, there is no direct onramp for northbound Hwy. 5... You go under the bridge and make a u-turn and get on it
heading south bound (dumb)!
David K - 2-8-2007 at 05:49 PM
The road is all concrete and just one lane each direction! For the short cut, the toll is (was) 45 pesos!
David K - 2-8-2007 at 05:51 PM
Here's the access ramp at Hwy. 5 for west bound (Tecate)... The ramp is for only southbound Hwy. 5! The toll gate is near Hwy. 5...
bajaandy - 2-9-2007 at 12:31 PM
How much (if any) time does this toll road save when coming from San Diego to San Felipe or the other way around?
David K - 2-9-2007 at 12:44 PM
If you are coming from or going to Tecate, then you would have NO Mexicali city traffic, intersections, etc. However, if the 45 pesos seems a bit
steep, then pretend the cut off does not exist.. I wouldn't be surprised if it cuts 20-30 minutes off the time to Tecate from San Felipe.
TecateRay - 2-14-2007 at 10:22 AM
Thanks for the map and directions! This will save me a bunch of time and trouble - well worth 45 pesos.
As to the Tecate border - I'm a frequent crosser there, but I have stopped using it on Sundays. Weekday evenings seem to be best, a friend crossed
last Saturday around 3:30 PM and only had to wait 15 minutes. It's hard to figure, but most mornings and every Sunday are Bad, long waits almost
guaranteed.