Loaded trucks heading to the Otay Mesa (Otay I) commercial crossing can use a new 5.8 km bypass through the Otay II facility in Tijuana starting October 30, 2026. Empty trucks have been using it since October 19. The road, the Libramiento de Otay I a Otay II, was built by Mexico's customs agency, ANAM, and runs Monday to Friday from 06:00 to midnight, with a 14:00 to 21:00 closure on weekends.
ANAM announced the opening in press release 101/2026, dated October 16, 2026 in Tijuana. Noticias 33, a Tijuana outlet, reported that the road takes trucks off Blvd. Bellas Artes and onto an industrial route to the Otay Mesa crossing. Otay Mesa remains the only commercial port of entry between Tijuana and San Diego.
What is the route?
ANAM describes three segments, 5.8 km in total:
- Enter at the grade-separated interchange on Blvd. Alberto Limón Padilla and take the access viaduct to Otay II (2.55 km).
- Follow the marked route inside the Otay II facility to the northwest exit gate (0.75 km).
- Merge onto Av. Internacional toward Otay I (2.5 km).
The speed limit on the bypass is 30 km/h.
What are the hours?
| Day | Bypass hours (local time) |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 06:00 to 00:00 |
| Saturday and Sunday | 06:00 to 14:00, then 21:00 to 00:00 |
The weekend gap matters. From 14:00 to 21:00 on Saturday and Sunday the bypass is closed, so a truck that arrives in that window cannot use it. Overnight parking inside the recinto fiscal (the customs-controlled area) is not allowed. ANAM's text: "No estará permitido pernoctar dentro del recinto fiscal."
Is the bypass mandatory for loaded trucks?
ANAM's release does not say. It gives the dates on which empty and loaded trucks can use the road, and it does not state that any truck is required to use it or which route applies outside bypass hours. Noticias 33 reported on October 16 that the first phase covers only empty units and that loaded trucks "podrán usarla," may use it, from October 30. Treat the bypass as an option until ANAM or your Mexican customs broker says otherwise.
The same report said 1,000 to 1,200 empty trucks a day are expected to move off Blvd. Bellas Artes and onto the new route, and that Israel Delgado of CANACAR, the Mexican trucking association, acknowledged that K-9 inspections and security arrangements along the route were still being worked out.
Does this mean Otay II is open on the U.S. side?
No. The Mexican Otay II facility is being used as a pass-through for the bypass. The U.S. side, the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry, is still under construction. SANDAG and Caltrans broke ground in August 2022, and SANDAG's project page lists the status as in progress with no opening date. At a January 7, 2026 industry committee meeting, Caltrans said the project's commercial vehicle enforcement facility "is expected to be opened by the end of 2028." Until then, every commercial crossing in the San Diego-Tijuana corridor goes through Otay Mesa (Otay I).
What should brokers and carriers do?
- Check weekend appointments against the 14:00 to 21:00 closure. If a load is due at the crossing in that window, confirm the route with the carrier or customs broker.
- Time driver arrivals. With no overnight parking inside the recinto fiscal, a truck that arrives hours early has nowhere to wait on the bypass.
- Ask your Mexican customs broker whether to use the bypass for loaded freight after October 30, and watch for an ANAM update once the first phase is reviewed.
- Keep checking border wait times at Otay Mesa itself. The bypass changes the approach on the Tijuana side, not CBP processing on the U.S. side.
Posting Otay Mesa freight? Brokers can post loads and get Mexico rates, and carriers can find loads that cross here, at cargado.com.
Frequently asked questions
When can loaded trucks use the Otay I to Otay II bypass?
From October 30, 2026, according to ANAM press release 101/2026. Empty trucks have been able to use it since October 19, 2026.
What are the bypass hours?
Monday to Friday, 06:00 to 00:00. Saturday and Sunday, 06:00 to 14:00 and 21:00 to 00:00. Overnight parking inside the customs-controlled area is not allowed.
How long is the route and how fast can trucks go?
5.8 km in three segments: 2.55 km on the Otay II access viaduct from Blvd. Alberto Limón Padilla, 0.75 km through the Otay II facility, and 2.5 km on Av. Internacional to Otay I. The speed limit is 30 km/h.
Do trucks have to use the bypass?
ANAM has not said so. Its release gives start dates for empty and loaded trucks but no requirement. Confirm with your Mexican customs broker or carrier.
Is the Otay Mesa East crossing open?
No. SANDAG gives no opening date for the U.S. port of entry, and Caltrans said in January 2026 that the project's commercial vehicle enforcement facility is expected to open by the end of 2028. Commercial traffic still crosses at Otay Mesa (Otay I).
Sources
- ANAM, Comunicado de prensa 101/2026 (Oct 16, 2026)
- Noticias 33 (Oct 16, 2026): Desde el lunes, hasta 1,200 camiones vacíos usarán el libramiento entre Otay I y Otay II
- Caltrans CTPAC meeting minutes, Jan 7, 2026 (Otay Mesa CVEF project update)
- SANDAG, SR 11 and Otay Mesa East Port of Entry project page
