| Pages:
1
2 |
fandango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 549
Registered: 1-30-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
Tecate toll road
I was behind a truck on the libre road travelling north today from Ensenada to San ysidro, our top speed was 7mph. It was slow and grueling.
I would like to try a new route.
I looked at google earth and I think a possible route is going towards tecate from Ensenada on the Ruta del vino, mex 3, then taking the toll road to
otay. It looks like it is just 30 miles on the toll road and it is 2 lanes.
Total time is 1 1/2 hours ensenada to tecate and 30 minutes tecate to otay. These times would be a little shorter since I would not be going all the
way into tecate.
How is the truck traffic on mex 3? Is mex 3 as twisty as mex 1?
Hs anyone taken this route?
Thanks for any info you have.
sbwontoo
|
|
|
CakedecT
Junior Nomad
Posts: 29
Registered: 1-28-2014
Member Is Offline
|
|
I take mex3 through Tecate all the time now since the toll road collapse. There are several trucks but there are all very courteous about passing.
There are a lot of shoulders for them to pull to the right. It is curvy but not too bad. Never more than 90 minutes to Tecate.
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
I believe the toll road from Tecate to Blvd. 2000 is 16 miles and it used to be around a dollar per mile. Tolls have gone up a bit since I was last
on that road.
The toll road is a great drive...especially after some rain....and due to the cost, there's very little traffic.
Just wondering....since you go all the way to Tecate, why don't you cross there?
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
|
|
|
dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
The 2D toll highway is 45 km (28 miles) and costs 98 pesos. They accept dollars (so it'd be 7 dollars and change) but change is only made in pesos,
unlike the escénica. Once you pay at the Tijuana end of the toll road, make your first exit to the right and you will be on Blvd. Industrial toward
the Otay border.
It is faster, even with the wait time, to head west on the Mexican side than on the U.S. side, because the highway from Tecate to San Diego is two
lanes, twisty, and the border checkpoint is nearly always open.
Highway 3 is, as CakedecT says, curvy, but the trucks are very courteous. The same can't be said for the four-wheelers.
Be extremely vigilant about following all the traffic laws in Tecate; the police are notoriously strict, even far in the south where the toll road
crosses the Ensenada highway.
[Edited on 2-26-2014 by dasubergeek]
|
|
|
fandango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 549
Registered: 1-30-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
CakedecT: thanks for that info, glad to hear about the truckers.
Dennis: that toll is pricey, but I'll try it. I'd like to avoid the 94 and I think it will be faster on the tecate toll road.
Dasubergeek: a good reminder for the policia thanks. I thought it would be better on the toll road than the 94.
Thanks for the tips and info.
sbwontoo
|
|
|
Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
Member Is Offline
|
|
The toll is now 101 pesos. I would imagine they are spending a lot of time making change for that one extra peso, but the Ensenada/Tijuana toll road
did the same thing and they are now 31 pesos. Go figure.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64838
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Why would you drive all the way to Tecate, then not cross into the USA at Tecate??? The only logic is if you are going to be there after 11 pm when
that border closes.
|
|
|
dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pescador
The toll is now 101 pesos. I would imagine they are spending a lot of time making change for that one extra peso, but the Ensenada/Tijuana toll road
did the same thing and they are now 31 pesos. Go figure. |
Oh, that's right. It's because of the increase in the IVA sales tax from 11 to 16%. Good catch.
|
|
|
Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
|
|
The toll road is REALLY not worth the money.
The free road is almost as fast.
And as DK said, why not cross at Tecate. You'll be right there (unless you happen to have a SENTRI pass).
The crossing has gotten a little longer the last few weeks because of the traffic on the free Mex 1 road since the road slide just north of the
Ensenada toll booth.
But even as a single lane, the crossing time is anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour.
There does not seem to be a better time to cross than another.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64838
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
MAP
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
He said
He would like to "avoid the 94"...........so apparently he is not interested in crossing at Tecate
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
From my perspective, when having driven up from far South in Baja, the 94 is a little like still being on Mex 1. On a good day, the wait at the Tecate
crossing cannot be beat.
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
From my perspective, when having driven up from far South in Baja, the 94 is a little like still being on Mex 1. |
Never yet seen a busted side mirror on the 94.
Worst drivers on that road are the Border Patrol. Freakin' maniacs.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
|
|
|
fandango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 549
Registered: 1-30-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
thanks for all of the information and opinions.
i do have sentri and bajaguy saw that i wanted to avoid the 94.
yesterday (tuesday) at the san ysidro sentri lane there was an agent sitting on the k rail just before you display your card, he had a clipboard and
asked each car how long we were in line.
the line was very long and we were barely able to turn right off of blvd centenario it was so backed up and not moving for a few minutes. we were at
the window in 16 minutes, we moved quickly once it started moving. 3 sentri booths open, meaning 6 windows. once leaving the booth all lanes went down
to 2 lanes to go over the speed mountains. what a nightmare. a guy in a small pick up clipped my back right quarter panel and broke his left turn
signal. he left a light rub mark on my paint.
sbwontoo
|
|
|
dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
From my perspective, when having driven up from far South in Baja, the 94 is a little like still being on Mex 1. On a good day, the wait at the Tecate
crossing cannot be beat. |
At the weekend it's longer than Otay plus the drive to Otay. It's been ridiculous—last time I crossed at Tecate was a Sunday afternoon and it was 90
minutes. It would've been 60 at Otay. (I had people who couldn't walk across and couldn't SENTRI.)
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64838
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
I have waited 5 hours once at Tecate (Sunday 4 pm-9pm)... Another time it was 3 hours... But, all the other times it was under an hour, so the average
is still in Tecate's favor. The key is to not cross back on a Sunday afternoon (or Monday on a 3 day weekend). It's fine with us who like Tecate for
the rest of you to go to the others, by-the-way!  
I am wondering with all the money that was spent and changes made last year to speed up border crossing... why is the opposite true...? It would be
better if they didn't mess with it (like other recent projects of our government)!
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
My post clearly stated "on a good day". I suppose that the folks who just take weekends in Baja, Sunday afternoon is not a good day at Tecate.
Our trips tend to be ten days to two weeks, and we design them so that we can cross in the middle of the week.
No argument over the fact that Tecate has so few booths. So, during busy periods, such as Sundays and holidays, it is to be avoided.
|
|
|
fandango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 549
Registered: 1-30-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
a couple of months ago i travelled north to otay sentri via the ruta del vino and tecate/tj toll road and just took the same route south.
total travel time from the cantu area of punta banda to the otay sentri lane was about 2 hours 25 minutes northbound. 45 of those minutes just to get
from cantu through ensenada to the exit for tecate.
there are 2 sections that are just 1 lane without a shoulder which totals about 20 minutes.
most of the truck drivers were courteous but there were maniacs as well. 5 trucks passing 2 doubles at the highest part of the road, on a curve,
just after we all had passed a truck that had flipped, spilling his load on both sides of the road.
the toll was 101 mx and the view of the border fence on that road was interesting.
sbwontoo
|
|
|
durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by fandango
I was behind a truck on the libre road travelling north today from Ensenada to San ysidro, our top speed was 7mph. It was slow and grueling.
I would like to try a new route.
I looked at google earth and I think a possible route is going towards tecate from Ensenada on the Ruta del vino, mex 3, then taking the toll road to
otay. It looks like it is just 30 miles on the toll road and it is 2 lanes.
Total time is 1 1/2 hours ensenada to tecate and 30 minutes tecate to otay. These times would be a little shorter since I would not be going all the
way into tecate.
How is the truck traffic on mex 3? Is mex 3 as twisty as mex 1?
Hs anyone taken this route?
Thanks for any info you have. |
You can avoid the 2 uphill grades, curves and slow traffic leaving Ensenada on the free road by taking highway 3 as far as San Antonio de Las Minas
then taking the first paved left turn and following that road back to the free road (comes out at the Valle de Guadalupe turn off). Adds 7.6 miles to
your trip north but probably reduces travel time to La mission by at least 20 minutes,.
(edit to change San Jose to San Antonio)
[Edited on 6-23-2014 by durrelllrobert]
Bob Durrell
|
|
|
dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by durrelllrobert
| Quote: | Originally posted by fandango
I was behind a truck on the libre road travelling north today from Ensenada to San ysidro, our top speed was 7mph. It was slow and grueling.
I would like to try a new route.
I looked at google earth and I think a possible route is going towards tecate from Ensenada on the Ruta del vino, mex 3, then taking the toll road to
otay. It looks like it is just 30 miles on the toll road and it is 2 lanes.
Total time is 1 1/2 hours ensenada to tecate and 30 minutes tecate to otay. These times would be a little shorter since I would not be going all the
way into tecate.
How is the truck traffic on mex 3? Is mex 3 as twisty as mex 1?
Hs anyone taken this route?
Thanks for any info you have. |
You can avoid the 2 uphill grades, curves and slow traffic leaving Ensenada on the free road by taking highway 3 as far as San Jose de Las Minas then
taking the first paved left turn and following that road back to the free road (comes out at the Valle de Guadalupe turn off). Adds 7.6 miles to your
trip north but probably reduces travel time to La mission by at least 20 minutes,. |
It's a little less obvious than that: you take Highway 3 and then once you get through San Antonio (not San José) de las Minas, where the traffic
light is, you have to U-turn and then turn right. There's a big sign for it, though, for El Tigre. Then, as you say, left at the stop and back to the
free road. The intersection where you make that left is all chewed up, though.
If you're not afraid of dirt roads--and the dirt roads in the Valle de Guadalupe are paradise compared to elsewhere on the peninsula--you can turn
left at the traffic light (it looks like a driveway but it isn't) and go up the dirt road, which is smooth and graded except for the last 50 meters
where it meets the El Tigre road. Saves you a little more time since you're not going further into the Valle.
(If you're fond of using Google Street View to get your bearings, the GSV images of S. A. de las Minas are ancient, before the traffic light went in,
so you won't be able to see it as well. If you're coming from Ensenada, it's just before the Oxxo on the left side.)
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
