TIJUANA.- The unbecoming tourist attractions of Mexico's most transited border city became somehow less attractive once the mire of a post–911 border wait became a constant and unavoidable deterrent for visitors — Tijuana tourism's proverbial nail–in–coffin. The border wait has yet to improve, and time will tell whether the $732 million San Ysidro Port of Entry expansion project will alleviate the chronic congestion of the region's border.

But, even without the municipal government's construction of a Petco Park equivalent, and despite the fact that tourism levels have not yet been restored to pre-9/11 levels, Tijuana's creative class has successfully managed to create a dynamism that is far superior than what used to exist. Artists and young entrepreneurs have breathed new life into Tijuana's downtown area — as a result of their own determination, without government intervention or contribution.

Most crossborder residents have witnessed the incredible revitalization that Tijuana has undergone over the past years —mostly initiated by Tijuana's creative class, which includes artists, chefs, musicians, designers, architects and other entrepreneurs. The transformation is tangible.

Following the 'broken window theory', chaos begets chaos, but necessity is the mother of innovation and Tijuana's creative youth have taken an environment of chaos and neglect and transformed it into a creative hub. Rather than converting old storefronts into tourist traps, like the dozens of second–floor tequila shooter bars, or fireworks and curio alleyways of Tijuana's former lore, local visionaries have proven that if you can provide cultural attractions that are genuinely concomitant with the region's contemporary culture, tourism will follow. Surely, the cities and towns located further south in Baja California hope that this transformation will be contagious, and will trickle down in their direction.

Now, there is rebuilt new artery to facilitate the spread of this DIY innovation. "La Libre" — the beat-up old free road connecting Tijuana with Rosarito — has reached the final stage of a painful twenty-year transformation process. Not one cubic inch of asphalt of the notorious old 18-mile roadbed remains. Gone are the orange barrels and construction cones, the temporary barriers, the single-file detours over dirt roads, and the axle-breaking potholes. Also swept clean are the last traces of gravel, dirt and construction debris that had littered the path for years.

In its place is the "new" free road — Tijuana/Rosarito highway, or Route No. 1 — boasting six extra–wide lanes of reinforced hydraulic concrete (three in each direction) for most of the way, complete with well-marked exits and on-ramps, modern lighting and signage, curbs and storm drains. Unquestionably, this new expressway now rivals the "Cuota" — the old toll road — for trans-border traffic wanting to go directly to Rosarito. The free road is directed further south, thus by-passing the suburban beach town of Playas de Tijuana, the golf course at Real del Mar, San Antonio del Mar, Baja Malibu and San Marino. If none of those places are on your itinerary, you would be far better off taking the free road for now — or at least giving it a shot once and seeing for yourself.

The old free road — built in 1923 — was a meandering two-lane blacktop, which connected the resorts and casinos of Tijuana with Ensenada, but for the past 20 years it received very little maintenance and was a pot-hole riddled deathtrap to all but the most experienced travelers who knew the route well, or those that lived in one of its nearby mega-communities. While thousands upon thousands of houses were constructed on both sides of the free road, little was being done to keep up with the infrastructural demands. A combination of excessive use and general neglect made the free road not a viable option for most inexperience travelers.

Now, whichever the route, the revamped free road could not have come at a better time for the busy Baja spring and summer season. With events like the 50 mile Rosarito Ensenada Bike Ride on May 03 , the 2014 NORRA Mexican 1000 on May 10, and the 2014 Baja Beer Fest on May 31, in Ensenada — not to mention the region's cutting–edge Baja–Med cuisine, prize–winning wines, added cruise ships and its jazz and blues festivals — there are plenty of reasons to drive south.

The main boulevard in Rosarito, Avenida Benito Juarez, is also undergoing a transformation of its own. The most touristic area, right in front of the Rosarito Beach Hotel, is already completely repaved and pedestrian friendly. Plans for construction of a new boardwalk are underway, and the new Rosarito Underwater Park is scheduled to open sometime this year; it will feature a sunken decommissioned Mexican Navy Battleship that is intended to become an underwater attraction for divers and is meant to create an artificial reef to conserve the local marine ecosystem. This is not to mention the brand new Baja Convention Center just north of Rosarito, which has already exceeded its projected first year bookings, and is superior to most spaces Tijuana has to offer. The redevelopment of the free road can only facilitate further infrastructure developments along the Gold Coast all the way from Rosarito to Ensenada.

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