BajaNomad - Mex 5 start of paving

Mex 5 start of paving

chivatojoe - 1-22-2018 at 10:08 PM

Just drove down and back last week. They now have the first couple of miles of new road blocked off from the laguna chaparral Mex 1 side of the construction. They are surveying ( laser road grader ) and blue topping the road base and a brand new asphalt batch plant complete with tanker of tar is in place about 6 miles in. Looks like they will start paving from the Mex 1 side of things as the final and rough grading continues to the North. New rock crushing plant set up to make final road base and most of the previous equipment site set ups are being moved and the last big mountain demo is about to be completed. Actually have circumnavigated Coco's three times now and shaves off 2.3 to 2.5 miles of the 23.. and with other short cuts drops the pavement to pavement run down to 18.1 miles. Will be a giant time saver. Mex 1 new pavement 10 miles North of BOLA turnoff helps with the most severe pot holes but still need to be vigilant from Jesus Maria to Guerrero Negro as there are still tire eating holes that are sometimes unavoidable. I'm thinking Coco should start a date of completion lottery just for fun and maybe raise a little beer money.
Soon those that have will be able to say " I remember when " as they cruise down the shinny new thoroughfare. :bounce:

David K - 1-22-2018 at 10:28 PM

Thank you for the report.
I was last on the Laguna Chapala to Gonzaga road in August and the new road was open and there was a bit a pavement over a bridge before reaching the hills.
So, just to be clear... are you saying the Coco's Corner Bypass is open to traffic?

BooJumMan - 1-23-2018 at 07:21 AM

How exciting! Can't wait til they pave all of Baja so everything is much more accessible and easier to develop! :no:

rts551 - 1-23-2018 at 07:34 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Thank you for the report.
I was last on the Laguna Chapala to Gonzaga road in August and the new road was open and there was a bit a pavement over a bridge before reaching the hills.
So, just to be clear... are you saying the Coco's Corner Bypass is open to traffic?

2 weeks ago it was only open if you jump the berm. It is ready for final and paving. I saw a "crew" chase down someone, read them the riot act, and make them turn around. People were also trying to jump up on the lakebed road even though it was obviously closed with a finish grade on it.

glad to see tey have not taken the resources away from 5 to fix hwy 1.

bajagrouper - 1-23-2018 at 09:11 AM

I am coming across on the ferry from Mazatlan in mid February, I plan to drive up highway 5 to Mexicali, is there an exit off highway 1 so I can drive this route? Thanks in advance...

mtnpop - 1-23-2018 at 09:27 AM

Can't miss it turn east at the tire store at Chapala, somewhere we have the km # filed....

we have friends coming thru in a few days so will get a new report again from them
This is good news for those of us that need to go east after exiting BAJA
Cuts off many hours and miles for us....

David K - 1-23-2018 at 09:59 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtnpop

Can't miss it turn east at the tire store at Chapala, somewhere we have the km # filed....

we have friends coming thru in a few days so will get a new report again from them
This is good news for those of us that need to go east after exiting BAJA
Cuts off many hours and miles for us....

Km. 233+

See the Baja Nomad Kilometer Marker thread in this forum (Baja Road Conditions).

motoged - 1-23-2018 at 02:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

......

See the Baja Nomad Kilometer Marker thread in this forum (Baja Road Conditions).

What.....no map? David....you are slipping.... :biggrin:

David K - 1-23-2018 at 03:41 PM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Quote: Originally posted by David K

......

See the Baja Nomad Kilometer Marker thread in this forum (Baja Road Conditions).

What.....no map? David....you are slipping.... :biggrin:

Really?

A request for the Laguna Chapala Area Map?

Is this a trick???

motoged - 1-23-2018 at 05:25 PM

David,
Bajagrouper asked above if there was an exit from Hwy 1 to 5....and as this topic has been beaten to death ....almost.... I thought that any response would be a map rather than a reference to a mile marker (which may or may not exist/remain since last observation)....and you are usually helpful in that regard....trying to inject some levity.....

I'm just a Bad Hombre in that regard....

David K - 1-23-2018 at 06:02 PM

David K - 1-23-2018 at 06:14 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajagrouper

I am coming across on the ferry from Mazatlan in mid February, I plan to drive up highway 5 to Mexicali, is there an exit off highway 1 so I can drive this route? Thanks in advance...

There is no 'exit' in the same sense as for a freeway. Highway 1 is simply a two-lane paved road in central Baja California. Highway 5 terminates at Highway 1 (near Km. 233), at Laguna Chapala and runs all the way north to Mexicali. It is a wide roadbed going off to the right, as you are driving north on Hwy. 1. There will be signs, they change... but this is just after passing the dry lake bed (on the right), Nuevo Chapala restaurant (on the left) and is across from a tire shop (also on the left).

bajagrouper - 1-23-2018 at 07:55 PM

Thanks, I meant if there was a road ( dirt or paved ) it would be an exit.I have driven that route before but both times north to south but that was 1971 and 72, then you had to drive through a dry river bed and the "exit" on to highway 1 was a little further south. Since it is my 70th. Anniversary of my first visit to Baja I thought I would like to see the changes to Highway 5...
Thanks for the map, is the dotted section the part that is not complete yet, meaning do I go by coco's?

Sr.vienes - 1-23-2018 at 08:22 PM

Holy cow grouper, I guess you really are a senior Nomad. 70th anniversary trip, it will be 2044 for mine. I guess i better start taking better care of myself.

SuperScrappy - 1-23-2018 at 08:28 PM

On our trip down we were able to drive the new road near Chapala but on our return trip they place big piles of material blocking that section of the road. We came home over the weekend. We were able to cut across part of the mountain pass at kilometer 185 from the the Mex 1 end headed north (if coming south it’s that Y- bend before headed towards Cocos). It cut out about 15-20 minutes of the dirt road drive. The only bad part is missing Cocos. The first part that is most southerly is a single lane construction road not rough but take some dips slow. The other part of the pass is what will be the new road, grated with some material one it and graded. Not sure how long it will be allowed as they are actively working on the road.

David K - 1-23-2018 at 10:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajagrouper

Thanks, I meant if there was a road ( dirt or paved ) it would be an exit.I have driven that route before but both times north to south but that was 1971 and 72, then you had to drive through a dry river bed and the "exit" on to highway 1 was a little further south. Since it is my 70th. Anniversary of my first visit to Baja I thought I would like to see the changes to Highway 5...
Thanks for the map, is the dotted section the part that is not complete yet, meaning do I go by coco's?

That is super to hear, 70 years!

Yes, in 1972... even to 1983, the main route of "Hwy. 5" (or simply the Gulf Road) went through Calamajue Canyon to El Crucero and met the main "transpeninsular" dirt road there (now Km. 261).

After 1973, there was a shortcut built so water trucks could get to Calamajué Canyon for highway construction water (now Km. 251). A sign used to there that read "The Only Way to Gonzaga Bay".

There was a direct road from Laguna Chapala to the Gulf Route by Las Arrastras but it was so rough and steep, even 4x4s had a rough time. It was used for the original Baja 500 races (1968-1973).

Yes, on my map, the parallel dashed lines are the new highway route, bypassing Coco's Corner.

[Edited on 1-24-2018 by David K]

PaulW - 1-24-2018 at 10:49 AM

As of 1/23/18 no new pavement. Same for almost a year. Looks like they are paving the bridges, probably to seal them from weather?
Could not use all of the new road grade because they were adding more road base and the equipment was impossible to pass by. Of course one should still try to use the new road as much as is possible. They always have a get off place when you come to the construction. Sure is better than the bypass road. Yes, you may have to back track a short distance to find the get off place.
Still numerous heavy equipment parked and not in use. Bulldozers were not working on the huge mountain that day.

David K - 1-24-2018 at 02:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

As of 1/23/18 no new pavement. Same for almost a year. Looks like they are paving the bridges, probably to seal them from weather?
Could not use all of the new road grade because they were adding more road base and the equipment was impossible to pass by. Of course one should still try to use the new road as much as is possible. They always have a get off place when you come to the construction. Sure is better than the bypass road. Yes, you may have to back track a short distance to find the get off place.
Still numerous heavy equipment parked and not in use. Bulldozers were not working on the huge mountain that day.

Actually, it is the same for just over 4 years. On January 8, 2014, was the first report of the pavement reaching 20.5 km. south of Gonzaga bay Pemex. Previous to 2014, the pavement additions have been averaging about 10 kms per year beginning in 2007 at Puertecitos. http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=77208

PaulW - 1-25-2018 at 10:55 AM

Last year the pavement extended from the big sign and the detour to the bypass road to just past the next bridge. The pavement has two layers on one side and one layer of asphalt on the other. I should have recorded the extended distance. No new KM signs. I guess you missed my report last spring that said the same thing.
At that time they also paved other bridges along the new road.

norte - 1-25-2018 at 11:18 AM

There is only one report that really counts. When will the paving be finished?

David K - 1-25-2018 at 11:45 AM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

Last year the pavement extended from the big sign and the detour to the bypass road to just past the next bridge. The pavement has two layers on one side and one layer of asphalt on the other. I should have recorded the extended distance. No new KM signs. I guess you missed my report last spring that said the same thing.
At that time they also paved other bridges along the new road.

Last August, I reported that about a mile of new pavement was possible to drive on when I was northbound, as the barriers were moved and I followed another car. However, the southbound lane at the end of pavement (from Jan 2015) was still blocked forcing drivers onto the dirt, as before.

Once open, use the kilometer markers when noting the end of pavement since we all have different odometers or don't zero them at the Pemex station/Rancho Grande market (just south of Km. 147). The final kilometer marker southbound was 167, and it was about 1/2 km. from the detour start. If there are no new markers than the mileage from the final marker (Km. 167). I recently saw photos somewhere showing Km. markers along the unpaved roadbed.

For about a year, they had higher kilometer markers but corrected them. The Pemex was by Km. 150 and the end of pavement was Km. 170... The 3 km. error went north some distance, too. They were all fixed in 2016.

baja_gurl25 - 1-26-2018 at 11:16 AM

HI, I am new to this forum, I have really enjoyed learning more about baja on this site. I will be driving up from San Ignacio in February and was hoping to take the 5 up to San Felipe then onward to mexicali. Was looking for any helpful tips for taking the 5. Thank you in advance....i know this topic has been covered pretty heavily...just wanted an update on the roads.

David K - 1-26-2018 at 11:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by baja_gurl25

HI, I am new to this forum, I have really enjoyed learning more about baja on this site. I will be driving up from San Ignacio in February and was hoping to take the 5 up to San Felipe then onward to mexicali. Was looking for any helpful tips for taking the 5. Thank you in advance....i know this topic has been covered pretty heavily...just wanted an update on the roads.

Welcome to Nomad...
Be prepared to drive 20-23 dirt miles (maybe less) no matter what. The kind of car you are in and your experience of dirt road driving will be the determining factors if it takes you under an hour or three hours to drive it. The road is passable to pretty much any car that doesn't have to stay on pavement. It is an active construction zone, so delays are possible as big trucks and dozers are moving about.

baja_gurl25 - 1-26-2018 at 12:46 PM

Thanks so much. I am excited to explore baja.

David K - 1-26-2018 at 01:07 PM

Do drive to see the bay at Alfonsina's restaurant Gonzaga Bay, km. 147, through security gate by gas station.

JZ - 1-26-2018 at 01:49 PM

Went through about a month ago. It was 5-6pm or later at night. Crews were working away. Lots of activity. It was graded the best that I remember.

kbrauner - 2-11-2018 at 05:52 PM

Lots of good information. (Thanks.)

Perhaps I haven't studied the input carefully enough, but ...

Is it faster to work one's way through the new construction (avoiding Coco's Corner) or is it faster to go via Coco's Corner?

Is it easier on one's vehicle to work one's way through the new construction (avoiding Coco's Corner) or is it easier on one's vehicle to go via Coco's Corner? Put another way, which way would a Subaru Outback prefer?

Thanks.

[Edited on 2-12-2018 by kbrauner]

David K - 2-11-2018 at 06:42 PM

Until the bypass is open, all traffic is through Coco's Corner. The road is drivable with most any automobile.

tobias - 2-11-2018 at 07:29 PM

Actually I drove through a few weeks ago and it was ambiguous which way you were supposed to go.
I followed the signs and took the normal bypass and visited coco.
I talked to my Canadian friends and they did not go by cocos for the first time ever. They kept thinking the road they were on would dump them back on the bypass but it did not.
Its not like it was.

PaulW - 2-12-2018 at 06:35 PM

Clarification: On David's map the dashed road does not exist. The contractor is literally moving mountains to create a road for that path. It will take years before that road is finished.
As stated all traffic goes thru Coco's.

Regarding tobias's comment. What I do is use as much or the new road as possible. It becomes obvious where the contractor does not want you to drive. Then take turn off and get back on the detour road. On a trip in November I drove the whole new road (except for a cut that was unfinished), then In late Jan. I mostly had to use the detour.

chavycha - 2-12-2018 at 07:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

I guess we drove on an imaginary road over imaginary bridges on January 20th.

The bypass most definitely does exist. Bridges and most of the roadbed are complete.

chavycha - 2-12-2018 at 07:10 PM

The only sketchy part was where the bypass rejoins (or exits, if northbound) the road to the SW of Coco's. There was about a 1/2 mile section where they still have to blast before the road comes out on the Chapala lakebed. The road from the bypass back to the old road is not excellent, and pretty steep if you don't have a higher-clearance vehicle.

[Edited on 2-13-2018 by chavycha]

rts551 - 2-13-2018 at 06:26 AM

They are trying to keep people off the bypass road. Saw the workers chase down a truck that had moved the barriers. As of 2 weeks ago they had replaced the plastic barriers with boulders.

PaulW - 2-13-2018 at 06:49 AM

Strange comment???
For sure you were not on a bypass. You were on the new road. New road = new bridges not a bypass.
=============== =

Quote: Originally posted by chavycha

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

I guess we drove on an imaginary road over imaginary bridges on January 20th.

The bypass most definitely does exist. Bridges and most of the roadbed are complete.

chavycha - 2-13-2018 at 07:53 AM

Hard of English much?

At least as of our drive three weeks ago, all traffic does not go through Coco's. You could go around, circumnavigate, or yes, even BYPASS Coco's on the new roadbed. That new roadbed follows the dashed road on David's map and does not come closer than a couple miles to Coco's.

Comprendes?

David K - 2-13-2018 at 08:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

Clarification: On David's map the dashed road does not exist. The contractor is literally moving mountains to create a road for that path. It will take years before that road is finished.
As stated all traffic goes thru Coco's.

Regarding tobias's comment. What I do is use as much or the new road as possible. It becomes obvious where the contractor does not want you to drive. Then take turn off and get back on the detour road. On a trip in November I drove the whole new road (except for a cut that was unfinished), then In late Jan. I mostly had to use the detour.

Paul, are you talking about some other dashed line? The new highway most certainly does bypass Coco's as I have shown... It continues straight south at Las Arrastras to the canyon area. The old road (the current road) curves east at Las Arrastras then bends southward to Coco's Corner and soon after turns west to the canyon area where it rejoins the new highway route.

Here's an earlier depiction I did once we saw the direction (and dust) of new construction, a couple years ago:

[Edited on 2-13-2018 by David K]

Whale-ista - 2-13-2018 at 02:53 PM

Thanks for these updates. I'm considering this option, and would be curious to hear from those who have driven south from San Diego:

Is the time saved to avoid the coastal towns/cities on Hwy 1 worth the eastern drive to Hwy 5, starting from San Diego?

And would those who have done the drive recommend driving east on US Hwy 8, then cross south thru Mexicali?

Or is it faster/simpler to cross SB at Tecate, then head east and down La Rumorosa to avoid Mexicali crossing?

Finally: Is the mileage about the same once you connect with Hwy 1 @Laguna Chapala (need to plan for gas)?

Thanks for your recommendations!

David K - 2-13-2018 at 04:14 PM

I am in San Marcos, so north county SD... I far prefer going I-8 to El Centro then south through Mexicali (this a bit faster than 98 directly to Calexico from Ocotillo). It is a pretty straight run through Mexicali and well signed for San Felipe.

Tecate to south Mexicali is the next option... it is just longer and you have tolls to pay plus some city traffic in Tecate. The grade down is also much twistier and slower than I-8 down.

I feel you save at least 2 hours in over-all driving to Baja Sur from San Diego just from avoiding the Ensenada cross-city nightmare and all the farm town traffic Camalu to San Quintin South... the twisty road south of El Rosario (and the mountains around Santo Tomas). I do miss not going through El Rosario however.

If I can, I will try and give you the documentation between the two routes... but last time I saw Google Maps plan a route, it picked the Mexicali/San Felipe run over the Ensenada/San Quintin run if going to Laguna Chapala or beyond.

[Edited on 2-13-2018 by David K]

mtgoat666 - 2-13-2018 at 04:50 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista

Thanks for these updates. I'm considering this option, and would be curious to hear from those who have driven south from San Diego:

Is the time saved to avoid the coastal towns/cities on Hwy 1 worth the eastern drive to Hwy 5, starting from San Diego?

And would those who have done the drive recommend driving east on US Hwy 8, then cross south thru Mexicali?

Or is it faster/simpler to cross SB at Tecate, then head east and down La Rumorosa to avoid Mexicali crossing?

Finally: Is the mileage about the same once you connect with Hwy 1 @Laguna Chapala (need to plan for gas)?

Thanks for your recommendations!

from san diego, i think 5 is longer mileage but saves a few minutes over 1. but 1 has ensenada and catavina and pretty mountains, and 5 is a bit ugly and often a bit too hot.
i do like the lighter traffic/wider lanes of 5.
I8 to mexicali is fastest way to 5.
i sometimes drive south on 1, and north on 5.

basautter - 2-13-2018 at 06:15 PM

Great info, will be passing through in April. :bounce:

David K - 2-13-2018 at 06:36 PM

I, for one, would enjoy it very much if you (and any other Nomad) would note the final kilometer marker before pavement ends and any other points of interest. The last km. marker I saw during my 2017 trips (and the same since 2014) was Km. 167 (but there was a year they had Km. 170 there, lol). The Gonzaga Pemex is by Km. 147, or 20 kms. north.