Mexico’s federal infrastructure agency SICT (Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes) has begun a major repaving project on the Mexicali to San Felipe highway, investing more than 130 million pesos (roughly $7.2 million USD) to resurface 36.5 kilometers of Federal Highway 5.
Work started this week at kilometer 134+500, near the El Chinero junction, and will continue along the route toward San Felipe. The project covers surface and deep pothole repair, milling, fresh asphalt overlay, replacement of road signs, and repainting of lane markings.
What the Work Includes
The scope goes beyond simple patching. Crews will mill deteriorated sections of pavement before laying new asphalt, a technique that produces a smoother, longer-lasting surface. Old and damaged road signs will be swapped out, and faded lane markings will be repainted along the full 36.5-kilometer stretch.
Drivers heading between Mexicali and San Felipe should expect possible lane restrictions and brief delays during active construction zones. No official timeline for completion has been announced, but the work is already underway.
A Critical Corridor for Drivers
Federal Highway 5 runs approximately 190 kilometers from Mexicali south to San Felipe. The road is the only direct route between the state capital and the Gulf of California fishing and beach town. It is toll-free and heavily used by RV travelers, weekend visitors from the Imperial Valley, and San Felipe residents commuting to Mexicali for work or services.
The highway begins as a four-lane divided road out of Mexicali for roughly 80 kilometers before narrowing to two lanes with limited shoulders through the desert. There is no gas station along the 130-mile stretch between the two cities, so drivers are advised to fill up before departing either end.
History of Road Improvements
Highway 5 has seen repeated rounds of federal investment. Between 2006 and 2017, SICT carried out modernization, maintenance, and reconstruction projects along the Mexicali to San Felipe section, including construction of a highway interchange. The road also required significant repairs after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Mexicali in April 2010, which buckled pavement and damaged bridges along the corridor.
The latest 130-million-peso project continues that pattern of periodic federal attention to a highway that endures extreme desert heat, flash flooding, and heavy truck traffic.
First reported by Ensenada.net.