BajaNomad

Conversations with border crossing agents: #1- Otay Mesa

Whale-ista - 2-27-2014 at 09:30 PM

Me: (after being waived thru) Next time, how do I enter the ReadiLanes instead of the regular lanes when I approach this crossing?

Him: I have no idea. You've been to Mexico at least one time more than me.

dasubergeek - 2-27-2014 at 10:43 PM

Figures!

When you head west on Blvd. Industrial (from Blvd. 2000), don't turn right for the regular lanes. Keep going and make a right on Vía de la Juventud Ote. (signs will point you to the airport). Then turn right at El Negro Durazo and stay to the left side as you head down that street. It'll dump you out into the left side of the Otay border road, which is where the Ready Lanes are.

Whale-ista - 2-27-2014 at 11:42 PM

thank you!

And now I need to figure out how to get to Blvd. 2000 after crossing SB...I get lost every time.

Two turns

bajaguy - 2-27-2014 at 11:54 PM

When you clear Mexican Customs proceed straight for 1 mile. At the first stoplight (Industrial Blvd) turn left onto Industrial.

Proceed 5 miles on Industrial to the Junction of Corridor 2000, take the right turn onto Corridor 2000

bajaguy - 2-27-2014 at 11:57 PM

I thought you turned right onto Humboldt from Juventud for a line-up to the Ready lane???
Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Figures!

When you head west on Blvd. Industrial (from Blvd. 2000), don't turn right for the regular lanes. Keep going and make a right on Vía de la Juventud Ote. (signs will point you to the airport). Then turn right at El Negro Durazo and stay to the left side as you head down that street. It'll dump you out into the left side of the Otay border road, which is where the Ready Lanes are.

David K - 2-28-2014 at 12:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
When you clear Mexican Customs proceed straight for 1 mile. At the first stoplight (Industrial Blvd) turn left onto Industrial.

Proceed 5 miles on Industrial to the Junction of Corridor 2000, take the right turn onto Corridor 2000


It is crazy well signed for TECATE CUOTA (Toll), MEXICALI CUOTA, MEX 2 or 2-D, and then CORREDOR 2000, POPOTLA/ ROSARITO.










Here the sun glare is over "ROSARITO" where you turn right to the CORREDOR 2000 (straight is the Tecate/ Mexicali toll highway)...



What a great road!:

dasubergeek - 2-28-2014 at 07:13 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
I thought you turned right onto Humboldt from Juventud for a line-up to the Ready lane???


Yes. El Negro Durazo is at the corner of Juventud and Alejandro Humboldt. That is the route depicted on the map.

Pescador - 2-28-2014 at 08:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Figures!

When you head west on Blvd. Industrial (from Blvd. 2000), don't turn right for the regular lanes. Keep going and make a right on Vía de la Juventud Ote. (signs will point you to the airport). Then turn right at El Negro Durazo and stay to the left side as you head down that street. It'll dump you out into the left side of the Otay border road, which is where the Ready Lanes are.



I want a good copy of that map.

Ateo - 2-28-2014 at 09:08 AM

What's the name of the street you turn right on from Industrial to get to the Sentri? Or landmark.

Udo - 2-28-2014 at 09:35 AM

A good copy of the map is not necessary, Jim.
Your normal turn to the crossing is at the treffic light where the tire shop is.
Just go to the next traffic light, and make a right. Then go north one long block and make a right again.
The readylane traffic generally starts somewhere near that area. If you are lucky and get there when traffic is light, just travel the length of the block (eastbound), and turn left at the first left turn.
The map you are looking at just complicates things.
Just remember: Right at next block past tire shop, right, right, then left.
Could not get any simpler than that.

Udo
Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Figures!

When you head west on Blvd. Industrial (from Blvd. 2000), don't turn right for the regular lanes. Keep going and make a right on Vía de la Juventud Ote. (signs will point you to the airport). Then turn right at El Negro Durazo and stay to the left side as you head down that street. It'll dump you out into the left side of the Otay border road, which is where the Ready Lanes are.



I want a good copy of that map.

bajaguy - 2-28-2014 at 11:02 AM

Udo.......

If the Tijuana police traffic cops are there, they MAY turn you around as your route intersects with the established Ready Lane traffic on Humboldt........I know from experience.

Better to go the long was as depicted on the map.
Quote:
Originally posted by Udo
A good copy of the map is not necessary, Jim.
Your normal turn to the crossing is at the treffic light where the tire shop is.
Just go to the next traffic light, and make a right. Then go north one long block and make a right again.
The readylane traffic generally starts somewhere near that area. If you are lucky and get there when traffic is light, just travel the length of the block (eastbound), and turn left at the first left turn.
The map you are looking at just complicates things.
Just remember: Right at next block past tire shop, right, right, then left.
Could not get any simpler than that.

Udo


Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Figures!

When you head west on Blvd. Industrial (from Blvd. 2000), don't turn right for the regular lanes. Keep going and make a right on Vía de la Juventud Ote. (signs will point you to the airport). Then turn right at El Negro Durazo and stay to the left side as you head down that street. It'll dump you out into the left side of the Otay border road, which is where the Ready Lanes are.



I want a good copy of that map.

Pescador - 2-28-2014 at 12:52 PM

Yep, exactly, I got turned away on Monday, President's Day Weekend at San Ysidro and when I tried to get to Otay, it is a confusing mess, to say the least, and of course when I hit the normal entrance, they turned me away there because traffic was backed up to far. So I paid the stupid toll, went to Tecate and then had to drive 94 late at night, in the dark, with frustrated drivers pushing me down the mountain.
I think it may be easier to just go out in the desert and sneak across with the drug smugglers. :fire::fire:

wessongroup - 2-28-2014 at 12:58 PM

Might be quicker in some cases ... :lol::lol:

durrelllrobert - 2-28-2014 at 01:02 PM

I understand that once the Otay Mesa East POE is complete Corridor (Blvd) 2000 will become a toll road and be extended to pass over the Tecate/ Mexicalli toll road and go directly to the new crossing which takes you to CA SR11 (also a toll road) that will connect with SR 905 and SR 125. No more going up the Avenida Internacional hill. Construction has started on the US side and construction on the Mexican side starts mañana ?.

Whale-ista - 2-28-2014 at 02:13 PM

So much construction going on, thanks for the updates. If you are a "frequent flyer" across the border I suppose it all makes sense. For those of us not travelling as often....confusing.

A few observations/questions:

As I waited at Tecate last week, I saw a sign promising "ReadyLane Proximamente". We shall see...

Regarding tolls: Blvd. 2000 is already a toll road, isnt it? I paid a toll in January, leaving Hwy 1 at Popotla heading NE to Otay. So, are you saying the price will increase? And will it only go to the "Lexus lane" at the Otay border?

If it means a more direct route to the crossing, I won't mind avoiding the urban/coastal traffic. But would prefer the ReadyLane vs. Lexus toll crossing.

Pescador - 2-28-2014 at 02:21 PM

You were actually paying the toll for your section of Ensenada - Tijuana toll road used, not for Avenida 2000.

Whale-ista - 2-28-2014 at 02:24 PM

thank you Pescador- that makes sense.

Now I understand why, when I left the road to head to the Otay crossing, no toll was collected.

If I had continued to Tecate, via the tollroad, I recall from doing this in 2012 that it would have been rather expensive.

David K - 2-28-2014 at 02:40 PM

Folks it is CORREDOR 2000... and it is a FREE highway... the toll leaving Hwy. 1-D at Popotla northbound is for the section of Hwy. 1-D you were just on and would have had to pay for just a couple miles ahead on 1-D... as Pescador said.

David K - 2-28-2014 at 02:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
thank you Pescador- that makes sense.

Now I understand why, when I left the road to head to the Otay crossing, no toll was collected.

If I had continued to Tecate, via the tollroad, I recall from doing this in 2012 that it would have been rather expensive.


To go to Tecate from the Corredor 2000, I recommend exiting onto the Tecate FREE highway (Mex. 2)... It is a 4 lane road and only a couple stops in La Florida where you first get onto it. When you enter Tecate, just follow the many signs for Mexicali and San Diego, as the border road is on the Mexicali side of Tecate.

Here are some of the signs after leaving the Corredor 2000 and using the Tecate FREE road to get to the border:








dasubergeek - 2-28-2014 at 03:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador

I want a good copy of that map.


U2U me your e-mail address. I'm sure I have the higher-res lying around (I was the one who created the map.)

dasubergeek - 2-28-2014 at 03:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ateo
What's the name of the street you turn right on from Industrial to get to the Sentri? Or landmark.


Calzada Alfonso Vidal y Planas. There's a huge green overhead sign directing you to turn right for Blvd. Bellas Artes and the Zona Industrial. No landmark—there's a big empty property on that corner.

Whale-ista - 2-28-2014 at 03:54 PM

thank you David.

Is the exit off Corr. 2000 for Otay well signed also? I did the drive at night last month, navigated by luck and a few obscure signs.

Do you have photos to show what the Otay exit signs look like in daylight?

dasubergeek - 2-28-2014 at 04:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
thank you David.

Is the exit off Corr. 2000 for Otay well signed also? I did the drive at night last month, navigated by luck and a few obscure signs.

Do you have photos to show what the Otay exit signs look like in daylight?


It's very well signed. It says "TIJUANA - SAN DIEGO - 905" and the left lanes are marked "TECATE - MEXICALI - cuota". You can look at Google Maps in street view mode.

http://goo.gl/maps/Lziz7

[Edited on 2-28-2014 by dasubergeek]

Whale-ista - 2-28-2014 at 04:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
thank you David.

Is the exit off Corr. 2000 for Otay well signed also? I did the drive at night last month, navigated by luck and a few obscure signs.

Do you have photos to show what the Otay exit signs look like in daylight?


It's very well signed. It says "TIJUANA - SAN DIEGO - 905" and the left lanes are marked "TECATE - MEXICALI - cuota". You can look at Google Maps in street view mode.

http://goo.gl/maps/Lziz7

[Edited on 2-28-2014 by dasubergeek]


Thank you. I do recall those signs, was worried by lack of traffic. Kept thinking I must be doing something wrong! :?:

Could also be I was a bit brain dead after driving all day... I made the full trip from GN to San Diego. Do-able, but tiring.

Udo - 2-28-2014 at 05:10 PM

Mil Gracias, Terry!
(p.s. I do not generally go that way, because the other crossing is faster.
Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
Udo.......

If the Tijuana police traffic cops are there, they MAY turn you around as your route intersects with the established Ready Lane traffic on Humboldt........I know from experience.

Better to go the long was as depicted on the map.


Quote:
Originally posted by Udo
A good copy of the map is not necessary, Jim.
Your normal turn to the crossing is at the treffic light where the tire shop is.
Just go to the next traffic light, and make a right. Then go north one long block and make a right again.
The readylane traffic generally starts somewhere near that area. If you are lucky and get there when traffic is light, just travel the length of the block (eastbound), and turn left at the first left turn.
The map you are looking at just complicates things.
Just remember: Right at next block past tire shop, right, right, then left.
Could not get any simpler than that.

Udo


Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Figures!

When you head west on Blvd. Industrial (from Blvd. 2000), don't turn right for the regular lanes. Keep going and make a right on Vía de la Juventud Ote. (signs will point you to the airport). Then turn right at El Negro Durazo and stay to the left side as you head down that street. It'll dump you out into the left side of the Otay border road, which is where the Ready Lanes are.



I want a good copy of that map.

Udo - 2-28-2014 at 05:18 PM

The ready-lane sign has been there for 18 months, and so far no action, even though the NB lanes are now three deep, even though they are using only the inside lane.

The other note...The toll payment at Corredor 2000 is not for the corredor, it is for the portion of the toll road you used from Ensenada, and you are paying to exit at that point rather than paying at the next toll both near Rosarito.
Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista

As I waited at Tecate last week, I saw a sign promising "ReadyLane Proximamente". We shall see...

Regarding tolls: Blvd. 2000 is already a toll road, isnt it? I paid a toll in January, leaving Hwy 1 at Popotla heading NE to Otay. So, are you saying the price will increase? And will it only go to the "Lexus lane" at the Otay border?

Udo - 2-28-2014 at 05:30 PM

May I suggest that you buy a couple of pairs of the orthotic compression socks. They are available on the net and at the pharmacy counters at Walgreens and Target. They generally run about $75.00.
One can easily make a 16 hour drive and do not feel tired at all!
Those things are amazing!
They also allow you to make such a drive and your legs and ankles do not swell.
FYI...I bought mine at the LA Marathon Expo last year (in the Convention Center).
There were several vendors with cheaper prices, but the one outfit measured my legs, took note of my veins, and measured my foot.
He then recommended the style of sock I needed.
Yes, they are a pain in the butt to put on, but believe me, they are worth every cent I paid for them.
The next LA Marathon Expo (Jana runs the marathons, not me!) will be next Friday and Saturday.


Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
... I made the full trip from GN to San Diego. Do-able, but tiring.

BajaBlanca - 4-30-2014 at 01:32 PM

That is really good info about the socks...I bet they would be handy on a long overseas trip....and a must for hours of driving.