BajaNomad

Crossing to US via Otay Mesa on 4th

LAH - 6-29-2011 at 04:47 PM

Need some advice. We need to pick up our new FM3s in Rosarito on the morning of the 4th and have to return to the US that afternoon, since I have to be at work the next morning. Does anyone have any recent experience with Blvd. 2000 and the Otay Mesa crossing? How about on a holiday weekend?

krafty - 6-29-2011 at 04:59 PM

Do you have SENTRI?? If not, it is only a guess how crowded it will be-could be awful, or not. We have done it; from Rosarito it is a bit longer but it will probably be better times than San Ysidro. Welcome to Nomads!

Otay

bajaguy - 6-29-2011 at 05:34 PM

There is ongoing construction on the 905 freeway extension.

From the 5 or 805 take the 905 East. 905 east turns into Otay Mesa Road. Follow Otay Mesa Road to Britannia Blvd. Right turn on Britannia Blvd to the eastbound 905 on-ramp......follow the 905 to the Otay crossing.

Just follow the constructions signs......easy squeezy

Gonna be a crapshoot on your return....just pick a time and go for it. If you have a passport CARD you can use the expidited lane (not the SENTRI) to cross back into the US.

woody with a view - 6-29-2011 at 05:34 PM

expect HOURS.....

David K - 6-29-2011 at 07:46 PM

From Corredor 2000 to Tecate is just a hop and a skip (use the free 4 lane highway to Tecate, Mex. 2)... why wait for hours when you don't need to?

LAH - 6-30-2011 at 09:43 AM

SENTRI, I've been trying to talk my husband into it for years. Maybe this trip will finally convince him. After watching the difference in the wait times online I'm convinced.

We've never tried Tecate. I read there's a big hill right before the border that can be challenging when there's a line.

Thanks for all the input.

David K - 6-30-2011 at 12:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LAH
SENTRI, I've been trying to talk my husband into it for years. Maybe this trip will finally convince him. After watching the difference in the wait times online I'm convinced.

We've never tried Tecate. I read there's a big hill right before the border that can be challenging when there's a line.

Thanks for all the input.


In Baja, there are LOTs of hills on the highways. The line, if it extends over the hill, does test POORLY maintened cars that over-heat... So, I hope you don't take a Baja trip with a poorly maintained car (check oil and coolent levels). If you don't have an automatic, any wait on a hill can be annoying.

Here is a look at that one hill in the Tecate line during a rare wait (photo from 2006):

MMc - 6-30-2011 at 01:10 PM

Last year at 10:00am it was 45 min a Otay Mesa.We had friends in the car no sentri pass just enjoyed the company. The walk across line was as long as I have seen.
Tecate will add another hour to get back to San Diego. You spend more on gas and the time is crap shoot. I have spent 3 hours at Tecate waiting to cross.
It is what it is, we call it boarded roulette pick a lane and hope it goes quick.
Radio station AM 600 will state the crossing time on the 1/4 hour. If it longer than 2 hours or shorted than 15 min. they don't call it. Assume if they don't call it, it's long.:?::?::mad::?::?:

DENNIS - 6-30-2011 at 02:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by LAH

since I have to be at work the next morning.




I'd be working on that and get the day off. You are setting yourself up for a nightmare.
Can't you pick up the FM at another time?

LAH - 7-1-2011 at 08:35 AM

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the input. We just have to make the best of a bad situation since our deadline to pick up our FM3 is 7/8 and the office in Rosarito is only open M-F, 9-12. My timing is bad. I started a new job and can't get any extra time off yet.
For years we've avoided holiday weekends. The last time we had to cross North on a holiday weekend it took us 8 hours to make a 3 hour drive. Our only experience with Otay was when we were diverted there from San Ysidro, only to have it close and have to make the drive back. We still laugh about that. It was complete chaos. One minute we were in an organized line at Otay and the next cars were u-turning everywhere you looked.
So we'll give Otay a try and just take our chances on Monday as soon as we get our paperwork finished.
Thanks again!

J.P. - 7-1-2011 at 10:23 AM

After living here for eight years I have given up on San Ysidro and have never liked Otay sooooo that leaves Tecate we enjoy the drive up through the Valley. Anymore I dont think It makes any difference which way you go . It is my opinion that the people have a definate program on the U.S. side ,if traffic is light they slow down the process, so it doesnt really make any difference in wait time. Weds. we went up to get our motorhome smogged and registered.and of course they put us in secondary, we set there 45 min before they checked us and the check lasted all of 2 min.