Baja Hwy 1 closed south of Ensenda for several days.

windfind · Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1904

a. We are currently sitting at the Estero Beach Hotel in Ensenada due to a bridge washout at San Vicente. Have been here since Thursday.
Heavy rain again yesterday and it is still raining this morning. It
doesn't look good for getting out of here today. Frito and Sherry bajakids01@aol.com
(received Saturday, 7:30am 1-23-10)

b. We were on are way down this morning when we got stopped just
south of Ensenada. The Feds told us it would be about 3 to 4 days. We heard that several bridges
were washed out. (received Saturday evening 1-23-10)

Via Ventana View c/o Mike Godsey

lauriej123 · Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 1

Any news on when the transpeninsular highway in baja is going to open up?

MrFish · Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 248

Seems like there's around 5 bridges out (?)

The two ferries are open for anyone in a hurry.

Topolobampo (Los Mochis) <>La Paz

Guaymas <> Santa Rosalia.

http://www.ferrysantarosalia.com/

http://www.bajaferries.com/

windfind · Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1904

Here are the most recent Road Conditions report courtesy of Ventana View via Mike Godsey:

The Baja Western Onion has the current Highway 1 Norte road conditions.
Reports are that several places of Mex 1 are impassable at the moment, due
to the heavy rains:
Bridge at Las Animas has collapsed.
Bridge at San Vicente was also affected.
Bridge at colonet has damage.
Bridge at Col. Guerrero is damaged.
The bridge in El Rosario has partially collapsed.

In past years they have made detours around the collapsed bridges within 2-4 days after all the rain stops.

Mike Godsey

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

I guess a heavy dose of third world infrastructure, and that doesn't even consider the other possible drama along the way. But hey, it's a foreign country.

windfind · Joined: 18 Mar 1997 Posts: 1904

Actually those bridges, unlike the sub par ones of ten year ago, were massively built. Much heavier constriction than you would ever see in the USA for a bridge spanning a narrow shallow potential waterway.

The problem is that most arroyos have sand bottoms to a great depth. So Mexican engineers are forced to put the footings even for deep concrete pilings on a sand substrate. No matter how how massive the construction once a big enough flash flood sweeps down the arroyo it scours out the sand, undercuts the footing and gravity brings down the bridge.

Unless you have ever seen a flash flood suddenly blasting down a long dry arroyo it is hard to believe the force and scouring action. Several years ago in Baja Sur a flash flood down a arroyo swept two D12 buldozers into the ocean before they could be moved. The weigh about 100 tons and cost about 1 million USD.

Worse, arroyos often change their course during a flash flood destroying the approach to the bridge. The only permanent solution would be mini suspension bridges spanning both the current arroyo and its possible new couse...... not likely.

Meanwhile, the bridge collapses are a great excuse to prolong your Baja trip and enjoy the warm air, water and wind.

Mike Godsey
iwindsurf.com