The elevated roadway under construction in Tijuana is intended to slash travel time between Tijuana Airport and Cañón del Matadero to just 12 minutes. Stretching more than 10 kilometers, the project includes bridges and a tunnel. Its initial design called for two tunnels and extended to the entrance of Playas de Tijuana, near the Rendichicas gas station.
Construction is now in its final phase. Crews are paving the surface and installing ventilation, lighting, and telemetry systems to ensure safe tunnel operations. Authorities expect the roadway to open by the end of this year or, at the latest, in early 2026.
However, as the project nears completion—along with design changes—concerns have grown among residents in surrounding neighborhoods. Many fear the viaduct could create new congestion points rather than relieving traffic.
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Impact on Mobility
Speaking with San Diego Red, engineer Tomás Pérez, lead mobility advisor at the Tijuana Development Council (CDT), said the scaled-back design reduces an already limited impact:
“Cutting it back does have an impact. Even before, it was a project with limited benefits, now even more so. It serves an origin-destination route between the airport and Playas, which accounts for about 5% of trips in the Tijuana metropolitan area. Yet, it’s being allocated a budget equivalent to almost an entire year of the city’s operations. Even if it’s federal funding, it represents a huge investment.”
Regarding the claimed 55.26% reduction in travel time cited by authorities, Pérez remained doubtful:
“I don’t think there will be much of a difference. Of course, it will depend on each user’s final destination.”
The engineer also emphasized that the project conflicts with the priorities set in Mexico’s new General Law on Mobility and Road Safety:
“This is a project that only benefits vehicular travel, while the law establishes that priority should be given to pedestrians, cyclists, public transportation, and freight. Private cars come last. It won’t solve Tijuana’s mobility issues, and it will also entail significant annual maintenance costs, burdening future administrations.”
