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David K
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Location: San Diego County
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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?
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HeyMulegeScott
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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.
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mtgoat666
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| 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.
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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.”
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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aburruss
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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.
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Don Pisto
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maybe the dangerous part is just getting to it!
https://www.borderreport.com/regions/mexico/travelers-to-baj...
there's only two things in life but I forget what they are........
John Hiatt
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David K
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Hwy. 3 on June 1, 2023 (Hwy. 5 to Ensenada)
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
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TacoFeliz
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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.
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aburruss
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| 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.
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Quit being melodramatic. /s
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PaulW
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Has nothing to do with Hwy 3
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aburruss
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Quit being melodramatic. /s
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aburruss
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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!
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PaulW
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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.
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mtgoat666
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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.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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Udo
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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.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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HeyMulegeScott
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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.
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Udo
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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] |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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chatolj
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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.
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SFandH
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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]
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