BajaNomad - MEX-3 is a disaster

MEX-3 is a disaster

aburruss - 5-10-2023 at 06:35 PM

MEX-3 from Ensenada to San Felipe is a total mess right now. I used to think that BCS 53 south between La Purisima and Insurgentes was the worst paved road in Baja.. but I think that MEX-3 now takes the cake. It is SO bad.. you have to drive about 25MPH tops in many spots (especially the closer you get to Valle de Trinidad)

The good news is that Taqueria el Rancho was open.. We had some amazing tacos to compensate for the horrible drive to get there.

Video of my trip

[Edited on 5-12-2023 by aburruss]

SFandH - 5-10-2023 at 07:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by aburruss

MEX-3 from Ensenada to San Felipe is a total mess right now. I used to think that MEX-1 south between La Purisima and Insurgentes was the worst paved road in Baja.. but I think that MEX-3 now takes the cake. It is SO bad.. you have to drive about 25MPH tops in many spots (especially the closer you get to Valle de Trinidad)

The good news is that Taqueria el Rancho was open.. We had some amazing tacos to compensate for the horrible drive to get there.

Video of my trip

Thanks for the report. I heard a similar report a couple of weeks ago.

aburruss - 5-10-2023 at 07:26 PM

There are actually guys along the road.. with bags of asphalt.. asking for tips as they are filling in potholes. GREAT business venture!

PaulW - 5-10-2023 at 07:26 PM

Agree
That road has been neglected for years. Sometimes lumpy pot hole filling or at worst just deep holes. Short paced sections are done poorly and fall apart by the next year.
And Hwy 5 N of San Felipe is developing pot holes. The strange thing is the pot hole crews make smooth compacted repairs after cutting out the bad parts. As usual there are too many to keep up with.

David K - 5-10-2023 at 09:17 PM

Thank you for this road report!!! This kind of field reporting is so valuable.

Just a small correction, the highway from Insurgents to La Purísima is BCS#53, not Mex. #1, which goes east from Insurgents towards Loreto.

aburruss - 5-11-2023 at 06:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Just a small correction, the highway from Insurgents to La Purísima is BCS#53, not Mex. #1, which goes east from Insurgents towards Loreto.

Fixed. I knew this. Brain fart.

pappy - 5-13-2023 at 06:22 AM

My friend , who is also my mechanic and frequents Baja, and I were talking about this yesterday. He just got back from San Felipe and had travelled the 3 .He told me DO NOT travel on that road due to the great number of large pot holes.guaranteed serious damage if ya hit one...( he was on a motorcycle running around the area)

AKgringo - 5-13-2023 at 07:44 AM

This is just my speculation, but over the years I have noticed that the quality of fill material, and compaction of the road base is frequently sub-standard in Baja.

In heavy rainfall years, even a temporary raising of the groundwater level, combined with the hammering of heavy traffic can cause the sub-base to settle and cracks form in the pavement.

PaulW - 5-13-2023 at 08:02 AM

It is no wonder the roads have pot holes when the paving an repaving is only 1-2" thick.
Even the new sections of Hwy1 have paving too thin with the resulting pot holes in a short time.
What is worse is the slurry coating which is nothing more than cosmetic and does nothing to extend the pavement life - just a waste of pesos.

JDCanuck - 5-13-2023 at 08:10 AM

Based on the road repairs and original qualities of the pavement both, it appears we will always be facing unexpected potholes. The patches last about 1 month on the downhill tight curves between us and La Paz. Especially concerning when no one follows the speed limits and suddenly swerve into your narrow lane to avoid going over the edge.

Cliffy - 5-13-2023 at 03:10 PM

Try driving IN La Paz Its combat driving with pot holes big enough to swallow a VW!! They are everywhere in town

Udo - 5-14-2023 at 09:08 AM

I have houses in both San Felipe and Ensenada. Mex 3 is a total disaster since the rains have started and ended for the 2023 season.
I totally avoid Mex 3.
I normally now drive to the US via Mexicali and head South at Tecate, then onto Ensenada. From Ensenada, now, I head South (always stopping for oysters at Ron Gomez Hoff's restaurant in San Quintín) and drive North at Lake Chapala to San Felipe.
By the time you factor in the detours, and construction near Ensenada, as well as the huge craters on Mex 3, there is only an hour of drive time difference!

SFandH - 5-14-2023 at 11:49 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Udo

By the time you factor in the detours, and construction near Ensenada, ......

Where in Ensenada? Highway 1, south side of town?

Udo - 5-16-2023 at 08:24 AM

Hola, SFandH!
I live near the Blow Hole in La Bufadora. (The area is known as Punta Banda).

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Quote: Originally posted by Udo

By the time you factor in the detours, and construction near Ensenada, ......

Where in Ensenada? Highway 1, south side of town?

SFandH - 5-18-2023 at 04:29 PM

It took us 2.5 hours northbound between Maneadero and the south end of Ensenada, beginning at 3 PM Tuesday, just a few miles. The engineer in charge of the road construction should be thrown in jail. The first step should have been to build a good dirt road detour. Just ridiculous.

I took that route to avoid Mex 3 from San Felipe to Ensenada with its car-eating potholes.

Only in Mexico. Dumb fuggers.

tomieharder - 5-18-2023 at 09:32 PM

Why does Mexico always have enough asphalt to make topes, but not enough to fill potholes?

SFandH - 5-19-2023 at 06:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Only in Mexico. Dumb fuggers.

Seriousy. Why can't they do things like in California? :light:

I'm sure Caltrans would not have created the mess at the south end of Ensenada. BTW during the 2.5 hours to go a few miles on Tuesday afternoon, I did not see a single worker, just a bunch of parked machines.

[Edited on 5-19-2023 by SFandH]

David K - 5-19-2023 at 06:52 AM

Quote: Originally posted by tomieharder

Why does Mexico always have enough asphalt to make topes, but not enough to fill potholes?

mtgoat666 - 5-19-2023 at 07:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by tomieharder

Why does Mexico always have enough asphalt to make topes, but not enough to fill potholes?

Perhaps because the total volume needed to fill existing potholes is probably over 1000X greater than the total volume of existing topes.

PaulW - 5-19-2023 at 07:30 AM

Mex 3 is bad - agree.
Do you really believe the exaggerated reports?
It is not so bad as to avoid using it. Just slow down and watch where you drive just like other drivers.
Yes it will take longer that if the road was better. Sure beats an even longer detour.

David K - 5-19-2023 at 08:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW

Mex 3 is bad - agree.
Do you really believe the exaggerated reports?
It is not so bad as to avoid using it. Just slow down and watch where you drive just like other drivers.
Yes it will take longer that if the road was better. Sure beats an even longer detour.

For those who drove Mex #1, south of El Rosario in the '80s & '90s, or the L.A. Bay highway then, or drove to Puertecitos around 1999-2004, or to Pta. Abreojos in 2017, dodging pot holes or just slowing way down because the holes were bigger than the whole highway was standard procedure.

Sad about Hwy. 3 not being maintained. It is a federal highway, so who is at fault? Perhaps blame first goes to the road builders who do not make a professional road-base, upon which to pave? Next, the amount of asphalt used is so thin, it can't help being torn apart with traffic that includes heavy trucks and busses.

Punta Abreojos highway, June 2017. Repaved the following year, but again reported to be bad. If you can't afford to do it right then how can you afford to do it over?? Seems more like a government 'make work' program?

HeyMulegeScott - 5-30-2023 at 12:13 PM

We are thinking of taking this route in a week or so from San Felipe to Valle De Guadalupe. Latest reports on Talk Baja didn't look too bad.

mtgoat666 - 5-30-2023 at 01:36 PM

Quote: Originally posted by HeyMulegeScott

We are thinking of taking this route in a week or so from San Felipe to Valle De Guadalupe. Latest reports on Talk Baja didn't look too bad.

Potholes have made it rough. Par for baja roads, we have all seen bad potholed roads. The OP was being a bit melodramatic describing it as a “disaster.”

aburruss - 6-2-2023 at 05:26 PM

Its it drivable? Absolutely! With 2wd? Certainly! Is it slow? Yes. Could it cause alignment, tire, or suspension issues if you don't avoid a pothole. Yep. Is the worst section of road I've driven in Baja in years? Also, yes.

So disaster? Challenging? Sucky? Slow going? Something I'd rather avoid? Pick whatever adjective or description you prefer.

Don Pisto - 6-3-2023 at 11:56 AM

maybe the dangerous part is just getting to it!

https://www.borderreport.com/regions/mexico/travelers-to-baj...

Hwy. 3 on June 1, 2023 (Hwy. 5 to Ensenada)

David K - 6-3-2023 at 12:59 PM

Warnout just made a Relive 2 days ago of his drive from San Felipe to Ensenada, for the Baja 500. All the Hwy. 3 photos looked like good pavement.

Watch: https://www.relive.cc/view/v8qVQ8z3z36

Some of the pics:

Warnout's speed was 82 MPH, between these photos. ^ V

TacoFeliz - 6-3-2023 at 04:09 PM

Well that ain't right. We ran it from the checkpoint to Ensenada a couple of weeks ago and west past VdeT it was pretty rugged. Every time you thought you had seen the worst of it another group of potholes cropped up, some shallow but large, some a foot deep with hard edges, some through to the dirt, lots of groups of them you couldn't slalom around. Be ready to jump on the brakes if you plan on a high speed run. They'll get ya.

aburruss - 6-3-2023 at 04:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TacoFeliz

Well that ain't right. We ran it from the checkpoint to Ensenada a couple of weeks ago and west past VdeT it was pretty rugged. Every time you thought you had seen the worst of it another group of potholes cropped up, some shallow but large, some a foot deep with hard edges, some through to the dirt, lots of groups of them you couldn't slalom around. Be ready to jump on the brakes if you plan on a high speed run. They'll get ya.

Quit being melodramatic. /s

PaulW - 6-3-2023 at 04:38 PM

Has nothing to do with Hwy 3

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto

maybe the dangerous part is just getting to it!

https://www.borderreport.com/regions/mexico/travelers-to-baj...

aburruss - 6-3-2023 at 04:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto

maybe the dangerous part is just getting to it!

https://www.borderreport.com/regions/mexico/travelers-to-baj...

Quit being melodramatic. /s

aburruss - 6-3-2023 at 04:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Warnout's speed was 82 MPH, between these photos. ^ V

That's basically what I saw too. From ensenada to the Ojos checkpoint, things were pretty good! Nice new pavement and good conditions. As I mentioned in my original post... the closer you got to Valle de Trinidad, the worse it got. After that checkpoint, you were dodging and swerving a lot.

I know there were guys out there with bags of asphalt patch fixing things, and asking for tips.. but that's not a nice repaved solution like we saw before the checkpoint. I also know things change quickly. From May 1 to June 1, lots can change. I'm hopeful things are better now!

PaulW - 6-3-2023 at 05:00 PM

The best way to ruin your suspension or tires is to hit a pot hole at an angle by turning to miss the hole then hitting it. Best to drive straight and hit the hole head on. Then the highest risk is a blown tire or bent rim because you have your tires inflated below spec.

mtgoat666 - 6-3-2023 at 05:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto

maybe the dangerous part is just getting to it!

https://www.borderreport.com/regions/mexico/travelers-to-baj...

That whole section is quite unstable. Really needs an inland bypass that can handle traffic. Last time the road slid the inland route was a mess, one accident on that 2 lane road and the route became a colassal traffic jam.

Udo - 6-4-2023 at 09:35 AM

I have a small update on Mex 3:

We have a veggie farmer who drives Mex 3 weekly. (I will not be on it for another couple of weeks).

He told me this past Wednesday that the pothole numbers are up to 866. Which means that about 2/3 of the potholes are filled in. I forgot to ask about the three areas where the roadway needed rebuilding.

HeyMulegeScott - 6-10-2023 at 01:38 PM

We came over from San Felipe on Hwy 3 yesterday. They have done a lot of patching and continue to work on it. It's not bad. We will see how long it lasts.

Udo - 6-11-2023 at 11:15 AM

I drive that road regularly because of my ownership of two houses, one on each coast.

I have been posting regular road reports on FB's Talk Baja Road Reports.

As of late last week, they were on pothole number 866 (Mextrans numbers them as they fill them). They have another 400, or so to go. They are currently on about KM 100 +-

The last of the really bad potholes are up to Km 150.

Quote: Originally posted by aburruss

MEX-3 from Ensenada to San Felipe is a total mess right now. I used to think that BCS 53 south between La Purisima and Insurgentes was the worst paved road in Baja.. but I think that MEX-3 now takes the cake. It is SO bad.. you have to drive about 25MPH tops in many spots (especially the closer you get to Valle de Trinidad)

The good news is that Taqueria el Rancho was open.. We had some amazing tacos to compensate for the horrible drive to get there.

Video of my trip

[Edited on 5-12-2023 by aburruss]

chatolj - 6-23-2023 at 03:24 PM

Mex 3 today : Around Km 180-187 = VERY BAD large holes across the width of Hwy. Again very bad around Km 146-140
The rest of it is Baja "ok" if you take your time. There are good stretch's that might fool ya into driving too fast. Probably not a good idea to pull a trailer.
A lot has been patched, but new holes are forming in same areas. Slow wins the race, LOL.

SFandH - 6-24-2023 at 07:53 AM

Thanks for the report.

I've taken Mex 3 many times over the years, and I remember one time when all the potholes for a long stretch had been squared off, ready to be filled with asphalt. But none were filled. They had enlarged the potholes by squaring them off, and they were all quickly turning into circular potholes again, but larger and deeper, as cars and trucks hit them.

I've switched from a 3/4 ton pickup to a lightweight, less durable SUV. The road's condition will determine how I get to BCS next fall.

[Edited on 6-24-2023 by SFandH]