State legislator Dunnia Montserrat Murillo López has formally requested the construction of a permanent bridge in Camalú, a farming community in the municipality of San Quintín. Murillo López sent an official exhort to San Quintín Mayor Miriam Cano Núñez and Baja California’s state infrastructure secretary, asking both offices to begin technical and feasibility studies for the project.
No funding has been committed, and no construction timeline exists. The request is the first formal step in what could be a lengthy approval process.
Dangerous Crossings During Rainy Season
Residents of Camalú have asked for a bridge for years, according to Murillo López. The current crossing becomes hazardous when water levels rise during the rainy season. At times, the passage is completely impassable, cutting off access to the other side of the community.
The lack of a permanent bridge forces thousands of residents to navigate dangerous conditions daily. Farmworkers, students, elderly residents, and families are most affected. Emergency services also face delays when floodwaters block the route.
A Key Agricultural Hub on Highway 1
Camalú sits along Federal Highway 1 (the Transpeninsular Highway), roughly 175 kilometers south of Tijuana, with a drive time of about two hours. The 2010 census recorded a population of 8,621, up from 6,333 in 2000. The town is a significant agricultural and commercial center within the broader San Quintín valley, which recorded a total population of roughly 80,000 in 2010.
San Quintín became Baja California’s sixth municipality in February 2020, separating from Ensenada after residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of municipal independence in 2015. The agricultural plain stretches roughly 50 kilometers from Camalú south to Vicente Carranza. Residents rely on the crossing to reach workplaces, schools, and medical facilities on both sides of the waterway.
No Concrete Commitments Yet
Murillo López’s exhort carries no binding authority. It is a formal legislative request asking the municipal and state governments to act. Whether Mayor Cano Núñez or the infrastructure secretary will allocate resources for the requested studies remains unclear.
For anyone driving the Pacific corridor through San Quintín, road conditions and rural connectivity in this stretch of Highway 1 remain persistent challenges. A permanent bridge in Camalú would address one of the most acute bottlenecks, but the project remains in its earliest stages.
This story was first reported by Jornada BC.