Mexico 1 and Mexico 1-D - Baja California Travel Information
Mexico 1 and Mexico 1-D Baja California
Northbound Mexico 1-D entering the City of Tijuana. This image strikingly shows the development of Tijuana encroaching to the International Border itself, while most of the land north of the border is undeveloped. This is because much of the land in the United States adjacent to the border is part of Border Field State Park. The state park encompasses the Tijuana River Valley, which is mostly wetlands and foothills as well as coastal estuary. The tan building in the United States is a wastewater treatment plant. The city of Tijuana, meanwhile, sprawls all the way to the border fence, offering a major contrast between the United States and Mexico at this point along the border. At this point, Mexico 1-D is no longer a toll road, and it rapidly transfers onto Tijuana city streets. The connection from here to the border crossing and Interstate 5 is a bit convoluted, as one must navigate city streets to reach the border. There was a proposal to construct a new border crossing at approximately this location into the United States, but the environmental sensitivity of the Tijuana River Valley and Border Field State Park have prevented such a route from being constructed. However, if such a border crossing were built, it would connect with an extended California 905 freeway in the United States. This freeway extension, from Interstate 5 southwest to the border, is still on the Caltrans planning maps. Photo taken 5/01.
Southbound Mexico 1-D approaching Mexico 2 to Tecate. This is a very old sign and a very old interchange. Taking this exit indeed leads to Tecate and avoids most of downtown Tijuana, but there are other ways to reach Mexico 2 from Mexico 1-D. Mexico 1-D is signed from here leading south to the beaches and to Ensenada. Photo taken 5/01.
Southbound Mexico 1-D immediately after the Mexico 2 interchange. The signage to the left is a rarity: the use of highway gothic font (lowercase) on a highway sign in Mexico. Most signs in Mexico are uppercase, narrow font. Note how "Scenic Road" is used as a control city for Mexico 1-D. Occasionally, "Scenic Road" is the only designation used for Mexico 1-D on some trailblazer signs, especially in Tijuana. Mexico 1-D certainly does live up to its name as a scenic road. Photo taken 5/01.
Welcome to the Scenic Highway. This marks the beginning of the toll road, which continues south to Ensenada, passing by Rosarito Beach. Photo taken 5/01.
View of the Pacific Ocean as seen from the southbound lanes of Mexico 1-D. Photo taken 5/01.
Freeway bridge along Mexico 1-D. Photo taken 5/01.
This photo shows a typical kilometer post along Southbound Mexico 1-D. This one is at Kilometer Post 17 just north of Real Del Mar. Since kilometers increase from north to south along Mexico 1-D, this post is 17 kilometers south of Tijuana. The Zero Kilometer Post is the near the interchange with Mexico 2. Generally speaking, there are not many reassurance shields, so the kilometer post acts as a reassurance marker, even though the marker is rather small. Photo taken 5/01.
Southbound Mexico 1-D at the main exit to Rosarito Beach. Rosarito Beach is popular for its playas (beaches) and its resorts. It is also home to a vibrant night club scene, and it is a popular weekend destination for Americans. The large power tower in the background connects to the large Presidente Juarez complex, a large natural gas power plant located adjacent to the ocean. This power plant was upgraded recently from oil burning to natural gas, thus cleaning emissions. There are three separate units in the Presidente Juarez complex: Rosarito I built in 1963, Rosarito II built in 1991, and Rosarito III built in 2001. It produces 1,328 megawatts, which is enough to bring power to about 1.4 million homes. Some of this electricity is exported to the United States. Capacity for trans-border power transmission is 408 megawatts, but it is hoped to be 2,400 megawatts by 2003. The power line in the background was constructed in the late 1990s, and it made the news on September 27, 2001, because a short circuit along its line caused a large power outage in a large swath across Baja California, including all of Rosarito Beach and most of Tijuana and Tecate. (Most of this information is courtesy of research in the San Diego Union-Tribune.)
View of Southbound Mexico 1-D. The toll road remains close to the coastline for much of its journey between Tijuana and Ensenada, as evidenced by this photo. Photo taken 5/01.
