Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño has announced a new infrastructure project designed to separate traffic bound for Playas de Tijuana from vehicles headed toward the San Ysidro Port of Entry along the city’s main expressway, Vía Rápida.
The proposal calls for widening the bridge that connects Vía Rápida to Playas de Tijuana, adding a third lane dedicated exclusively to traffic bound for that coastal district. Meanwhile, the two leftmost lanes of the expressway will be separated by a concrete barrier to keep border-bound traffic flowing beneath the bridge without interference.
According to Burgueño, this change will help eliminate the problem of so-called “gaviotas” (drivers who cut into border lines to skip long waits), an issue that can add hours to crossing times when congestion is heavy.
“We’re already in the design phase. I believe this is a high-impact project that will improve mobility in the area and prevent the traffic bottlenecks we’ve seen. It’s a local initiative that will deliver significant results,” the mayor said.
Burgueño added that the project is particularly important because, in his words, “Vía Rápida has become Vía Lenta” (referencing how the road now moves at a crawl during peak hours).
