BajaNomad

SENTRI Lanes

BajaMama - 3-1-2016 at 06:54 AM

I and hubby are getting our SENTRI passes - I am researching how to find the way to the magic lanes, however, all I can find are very complicated routes with illegal turns and alternate routes in case of police. My questions is this: Is it possible to take Paseo de los Heros to Blvd. Independencia, to Blvd. Padre Kino, the up Padre Kino to the the SENTRI lanes? Are these directions not given on line because there is something wrong with going this way?

I sure would appreciate some input!

CortezBlue - 3-1-2016 at 07:28 AM

What city?

bajaguy - 3-1-2016 at 07:40 AM

Where will you be accessing SENTRI from???

I have found the Otay Mesa crossing to be easier, less confusing if you will be crossing from Rosarito south.

DENNIS - 3-1-2016 at 08:07 AM



https://www.bajabound.com/before/driving/directions/san_ysid...

https://www.bajabound.com/before/driving/directions/otay_sen...

gsbotanico - 3-1-2016 at 09:42 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaMama  
I and hubby are getting our SENTRI passes - I am researching how to find the way to the magic lanes, however, all I can find are very complicated routes with illegal turns and alternate routes in case of police. My questions is this: Is it possible to take Paseo de los Heros to Blvd. Independencia, to Blvd. Padre Kino, the up Padre Kino to the the SENTRI lanes? Are these directions not given on line because there is something wrong with going this way?

I sure would appreciate some input!


Yes, you can take Paseo de los Heroes to Independencia and make the left turn at the roundabout on Padre Kino and access the Sentri lanes. However, there is a big if. When the Sentri lanes back up to the roundabout on Padre Kino, which happens on very busy days, the police makes you go right on Padre Kino instead of left. A real pain!

The solution is to continue on Paseo de los Heroes to Cuauhtemoc (the next big roundabout) to access Padre Kino. Watch for the sign as you're crossing the bridge over the river. The legal way to get to Padre Kino is to go right at the first stoplight after crossing the bridge, staying in the left of two turning lanes. Then curve around to the left, staying towards the right to go to Padre Kino, not Centenario. The two streets parallel each other., and it's confusing the first time. Many people make the illegal left turn directly from Cuauhtemoc Norte. If traffic is backed up, you will get a straight shot to the Sentri lanes.

When traffic is lighter in the Sentri lanes, access from Independencia works fine. I crossed yesterday from Cuauhtemoc with very little traffic and drove directly to the agent at the booth without stopping. except at the two stop signs.. It took less than 30 seconds to cross the border itself. Presidents' Day took an hour and the line was backed up almost to Cuauhtemoc.

willardguy - 3-1-2016 at 09:58 AM

thats a good question, I don't know why they don't recommend that route.
that was the route that was used to get to the east lanes before sentri/ready lanes existed. I found it to be the easiest, especially coming off the free road!

Udo - 3-1-2016 at 09:59 AM

Exactly!

And why cross at San Ysidro?
Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy  

I have found the Otay Mesa crossing to be easier, less confusing if you will be crossing from Rosarito south.

BajaMama - 3-2-2016 at 07:47 AM

Thank you for your responses, especially GSBotanico. I get confused driving in TJ (between age & MS my brain wires cross a lot). I just wanted to make sure the route I mapped out will get me there, I didn't want to do the route BajaBound recommends - it looks very confusing and, for me, easy to get lost on, as I will be solo the first time trying to find the SENTRI lanes. I cross at San Ysidro - We have our interviews w/CPB early April, hope I get the passes before we head down in May. Uno, I cross at San Isidro because I follow my father in law up and he always crosses there (he is 80, not gonna change him...)

SFandH - 3-2-2016 at 08:11 AM

BajaMama,

I have a suggestion.

If you can, make your first northbound SENTRI crossing early on a Sunday morning. There will be A LOT less traffic. Make sure to note landmarks (stores, signs, whatever) at turns. Negotiating TJ traffic when it is heavy can be nerve-racking when you are not used to it and not certain about where you're going.


Udo - 3-2-2016 at 02:16 PM

That is a very good plan, H andsome.

gsbotanico - 3-2-2016 at 02:22 PM

San Ysidro makes sense if one lives on the coast in San Diego county as I do. It's the shortest distance from Rosarito using the old road from Rosarito Norte to TJ, then up the coast. I never liked the Otay crossing, even though I used it regularly for 2 or 3 years after it opened because the lines were so short. But traffic got bad, especially at the cinco y diez intersection. After Blvd. 2000 was opened, this gave a better way if one doesnt't need to backtrack to the turnoff south of Rosarito.

I used to use the Tecate crossing on holidays weekends if I was in the Ensenada area, but now this crossing when busy can take more than an hour, and there is no Sentri.

Let's face it. There are pluses and minus for all the crossings. Familiarity is a good reason to stick to a known route, especially at night.

willardguy - 3-2-2016 at 03:14 PM

(SY)wouldn't you think as an extra added bonus to our squeaky clean friends they would have made the far left regular lanes the sentri and sent the masses on the bazaar journey east of the river? :light:

gsbotanico - 3-3-2016 at 03:36 PM

It used to be easier to get to the Sentri lanes in San Ysidro off the Vía Rápida Oriente. I would loop around the CFE complex on Cuauhtemoc and head straight into the Sentri lanes. Now it's a good way to get to the Ready Lanes.

After the old southbound Mexican Customs is torn down and the new lanes going north are built, perhaps it will be easier to cross the border. I've been driving down since I was a teenager. It's never been easy. As fast as improvements are made, the traffic increases even faster.

BajaMama - 3-5-2016 at 07:53 AM

Thanks again all - it looks like my first crossing will be midday on a Wednesday (driving up from El Rosario). This will happen early June. Since it is during the day it gives me sight and time to re-find if I get lost!

willardguy - 3-5-2016 at 11:52 AM

could you be confusing rosarito with el rosario?

gsbotanico - 3-5-2016 at 02:20 PM

Instead of taking the toll road all the way to the end, at the north end of Rosarito, you can turn off where it says "Rosarito Norte" and take the old highway into Tijuana. The turnoff is where there is bridge construction going on. This is several miles north of the middle pay station on the toll road.

Follow this into Tijuana, staying on the main road. It becomes Cuauhtemoc Sur. There are many stoplights. Don't despair. You are going the right way. At one point the road becomes one-way. You're getting close to the Cuauhtemoc roundabout. The road then becomes two-way again. Going through the roundabout the street becomes Cuauhtemoc Norte. Follow the directions I gave above after crossing the river bridge. There's no dead end.

Traffic should not be bad on midday Wednesday. In spite of all the stoplights, traffic moves along pretty good. Some of the lights are synchronized, so there can 4 to 5 green lights in a row.

BajaMama - 3-7-2016 at 06:41 AM

I could never confuse Rosarito with El Rosario! Spent a lot of time in a little house just north of Rosarito Beach in the 1980's (before it turned into an urban sprawl) - our first two kids were created there! LOL. It is about six hours to the border from El Rosario, so if I get on the road (I am an early bird) by 6:00 I will cross mid-day. Thanks all the advise.

willardguy - 3-7-2016 at 09:54 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaMama  
I could never confuse Rosarito with El Rosario! Spent a lot of time in a little house just north of Rosarito Beach in the 1980's (before it turned into an urban sprawl) - our first two kids were created there! LOL. It is about six hours to the border from El Rosario, so if I get on the road (I am an early bird) by 6:00 I will cross mid-day. Thanks all the advise.


lol...that was a response to a previous reply(thats since been deleted) that'll teach me to not use quotes!

let us know how you fared, my daughter just got her sentri and was asking about the easiest route

Gypsy62 - 3-7-2016 at 03:32 PM

Newbie. Well, to this site, not baja. Took local buses to San Felipe in 79, on through '97 probably spent >4 months on beaches all points La Paz-north. Pleased to be back.
Question:
I'm currently content at an RV campo N of Ensenada, hopefully long-term.
I've got to make a trip a week to SD area for various materials I (unfortunately) can't obtain y MX.
"Loathsome" well-describes the TJ-SY crossing.
Over the years I've done anything possible to avoid TJ entirely (re the city itself, maybe unfairly).
These days, how's the Tecate crossing compare?
Are the extra 50 miles detouring through Tecate justified. I'd rather drive 150 extra miles than sit in the TJ queue for 2+ hours!
Re Sentri, for "regulars" it sounds like a must.
Do you have to be US ex-military/law enforcement to qualify? Sorry if there's other threads with these answers.
Thanks

bajaguy - 3-7-2016 at 08:09 PM

Howdy, and welcome aboard

Cross at Otay. I can send you the directions if you want. In my humble opinion I wouldn't go the Tecate route unless you are headed east on Interstate 8....it's out of the way if you are doing any shopping in San Diego

The Otay crossing puts you on the I-905. from there you can hit the I-805 north to Olympic Parkway, then east to Eastlake Parkway (about an 8 mile drive).......there is all the shopping you need there: Home Depot, Lowe's, Trader Joes, Target, Super Wal-Mart, Von's, Ralph's. Costco is about 2 miles from there on "H" street

SENTRI depends on your criminal history, If you are clean with no past incidents, you get SENTRI. CBP doesn't care if you have super secret squirrel clearance from the military, you still have to play their game but it is worth it

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/969/~/sentri-el...
Quote: Originally posted by Gypsy62  
Newbie. Well, to this site, not baja. Took local buses to San Felipe in 79, on through '97 probably spent >4 months on beaches all points La Paz-north. Pleased to be back.
Question:
I'm currently content at an RV campo N of Ensenada, hopefully long-term.
I've got to make a trip a week to SD area for various materials I (unfortunately) can't obtain y MX.
"Loathsome" well-describes the TJ-SY crossing.
Over the years I've done anything possible to avoid TJ entirely (re the city itself, maybe unfairly).
These days, how's the Tecate crossing compare?
Are the extra 50 miles detouring through Tecate justified. I'd rather drive 150 extra miles than sit in the TJ queue for 2+ hours!
Re Sentri, for "regulars" it sounds like a must.
Do you have to be US ex-military/law enforcement to qualify? Sorry if there's other threads with these answers.
Thanks

tjsue - 3-7-2016 at 11:42 PM

It also depends on your income and who interviews you.

Sentri and South Dakota Plates

TedZark - 3-8-2016 at 06:35 AM

Is Sentri still being difficult if you have SD plates? There were reports of that last year. I have an Arizona DL.

By what I understood last year, my circumstances were a no go. Is that still true?

Thanks!

bajaguy - 3-8-2016 at 08:43 AM

Only for certain people, it appears
Quote: Originally posted by tjsue  
It also depends on your income and who interviews you.

bajaguy - 3-8-2016 at 08:48 AM

Don't know what "your circumstances" are, but there is no restriction/prohibition on where your vehicle is registered and what state issues your DL. You may get an overzealous CBP inspector/interviewer. In that case, ask to speak to a supervisor. If you are denied a SENTRI due to vehicle registration/DL issues you can file a protest with the CBP/SENTRI office

Quote: Originally posted by TedZark  
Is Sentri still being difficult if you have SD plates? There were reports of that last year. I have an Arizona DL.

By what I understood last year, my circumstances were a no go. Is that still true?

Thanks!

Gypsy62 - 3-8-2016 at 11:02 AM

Re criminal record, not even a dui. Re finances, what's the Sentri qualification requirement, 3 years returns, current bank statements, driving a new car, or...?
And it's kinda' shocking to hear that approval is agent-discretionary! I won't forget to wear my "I (heart) The Patriot Act " t-shirt, lol.
Sheesh... scan my retina and call it a day already.

It'd still be great to have a report on the Tecate wait times.
Yeah, I would FAR prefer to drive the speed limit for three hours rather than sit at TJ, which I gather is commonly referred to here as "Otay", no? I'll research that... I thought that the "other" TJ crossing was for commercial truck traffic (semis) only.
Anyway, I'm going through Tecate later today and will reply with the wait.
Thanks

willardguy - 3-8-2016 at 11:56 AM

my daughter just got her's in hand last week.
they didn't ask for ANYTHING, just fill out the app and hand them some dough, she had a DUI past 10 years, they said no problemo.
as far as the interview, she hit the lottery, chatted with a sweet little asian lady that was just wonderful, although she did say the guys there were just complete TOOLS! like you might expect.....

bajaguy - 3-8-2016 at 01:40 PM

Do you research. The Otay Mesa crossing is east of the San Ysidro crossing and NOT limited to commercial (truck) traffic - The trucks have a separate crossing. SENTRI at Otay is considerably quicker at Otay and if you are anywhere south of Rosarito, crossing at Otay is easier than navigating the ever changing maze of San Ysidro.
Quote: Originally posted by Gypsy62  

Yeah, I would FAR prefer to drive the speed limit for three hours rather than sit at TJ, which I gather is commonly referred to here as "Otay", no? I'll research that... I thought that the "other" TJ crossing was for commercial truck traffic (semis) only.

tjsue - 3-8-2016 at 05:45 PM

When I applied for my Sentri the first time, it was because my income was low, and my expenses were higher than my income. I was turned down because of this, and went to secondary for three months, until one of the customs officers told me that there was a notation next to my name that was put there in June, which was when I was turned down for my Sentri. This was at the Otay office.

The second time I applied, the officer wanted to see my bank statements, and sources of income. I went to the SY office this time, and was approved.

Gypsy62 - 3-10-2016 at 01:59 PM

Thanks for info. Actually trying to cross less, so on the fence about becoming a "Sentrino" (Sentrista? Sentrissimo?).

I couldn't find a thread devoted solely to border-crossing Q&A so started one.

Also started a thread re near-border po box (US-side) suggestions...
Thanks

Bajafun777 - 3-12-2016 at 10:33 AM

SY crossing is my route. I do have Sentri and it quick and easy now that I have done it many times. I go out on the toll road route from Rosarito go back like going to San Diego but watching signs overhead I am looking for the Viva Rapido side street run with the shopping center & businesses on this two lane route all on your right hand side. I stay on Viva Rapido turn right at the 7/11 store go down to where the sign says Sentri turn then go to the end of the street stop at stop sign then cross over the bridge. The third intersection once over the bridge is where you turn left, then just go straight signed all the way to border & no police closing off this route. These are very short intersections so you need to count to not get confused.
Hopefully, I will video this route when I go back down in May or June. I used to be one of the people that avoided T.J. but not anymore. Too many good restaurants that are there with excellent food & service. Many dance places too for those evenings when dancing & music are the priority. On Revolution they have one of the best Italian Restaurants you will ever find called Vittorios just great (cross street is 9th I believe but just across the street is Sanborns). We like to park in the Ticuan Hotel parking as it is covered and secure for about 35 pesos. Las Pulgas is also right around the corner for those nights you want to go dancing with ticket of parking you get in free. Never know until you try and age is only holding you back if you are the holder of it!! LOL bajafun777 "No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN"