MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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Border Crossing Times
Heading North on Saturday, arrived at the Mexicali Garita Oriente at 1412 hours. The longest line I have ever encountered at that crossing. The
traffic was backed up Eastward for a block past the Commercial entrance/exit. Wait time was good considering the line. 68 minutes and it would
likely have been shorter, but the majority of the vehicles were Mexican Licensed and the agents were checking ALL of their papers, trunks, etc. We
were waved through after two cursory questions.
Some wait time entertainment was provided by the Mexican officials. They had (3) U.S. licensed trucks FILLED with used Office equipment which they
were turning back to the U.S. The entertainment was in watching them try to get the traffic to make a hole so that the trucks could merge. It looked
as if one or more of the agents would get run over before they could get the trucks in line. People in that line are AGGRESSIVE.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Bill,
How does one reach the East border crossing in Mexicali? I would prefer this over the standard crossing next time I am in that area.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Mexicali/ Calexico, East (northbound): 32?40?20'/ 115?23.24'
Not the shortest (which is from the Costco), but a no brainer:
One street (signel) south of the one way street going west along the fence, is a one way street to the right (east)... street name is 'Argentina'...
that takes you to the Mexicali east crossing... several miles away.
GPS is at NAD27 Mexico: Mexicali/ Calexico, East (northbound): 32?40?20'/ 115?23.24' (from my GPS website)
[Edited on 12-4-2005 by David K]
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MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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Garita Oriente
From the U.S. (Hwy 111), turn LEFT on Cole Road and follow it to it's intersection with Hwy 98. Alternately, you can go all the way into Calexico
and go Eastward on 98 from there.
Once across the border, turn LEFT at the Border exit. Follow that road East, then south (it curves) to the intersection of Calzada Cetys. At that
point, the road is signed as Calle Novena. Continue South until you come to the intersection of Lazaro Card##as. That intersection has a Huge
Shopping mall on the Northeast corner and a multiplex Cinema on the Northwest corner. At that point, you can either go straight (I do) OR turn right
and go West to Venustiano Carranza (Coca Cola on NW, Bimbo on SE). Going straight, Calle Novena becomes a 2-lane with lots of stop signs and local
businesses. Either Calle Novena or V. Carranza south will take you to Carretera San Luis where you have no option but to turn. If you drove Novena,
you turn Right and drive about a mile to Robledo Industrial. There is a rundown hotel on the Northeast corner and a Pemex on the Northwest. If you
followed Carranza, it is a very short jog LEFT to Robledo Industrial. Driving south on Industrial, two miles later you will come to Hwy 5. Heading
south, I usually turn Right just before I come to Hwy 5 because there is a signal at the Highway intersection. Crossing can be difficult without it.
I "think" it's usually easier to follow this route the First time if you're going North. In that case, coming North on Highway 5 into Mexicali,
you'll pass BLOCK MEX on the right side. 1.2 miles later, you'll come to the Robledo Industrial Instersection. The landmark there is Bloquera
Moderna. The road at the signal actually parallels Robledo Industrial for about a mile, eventually ending so that you have to turn right over to
Industrial. Heading North on Industrial past the Estacion Policia, you come to the intersection of Carretera San Luis. Jog left to Venustiano
Carranza and then North to Calzada Cetys. Right on Cetys to Calle Novena. There are signs saying Garita Oriente.
The mileage difference between this way and turning "Right" (Argentina) leaving the Garita and going down to Manuel Gomez Morin is only 0.3 miles
(10.0 vs 10.3), but my route usually has less traffic during heavy traffic periods.
I hope that I haven't totally confused you. If you have an address that I could mail to, I've drawn a sketch of the route and would be happy to mail
it to you.
[Edited on 12-4-2005 by MrBillM]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Thanks guys for all of the useful info!
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