Restaurant and business owners along Tijuana’s Otay gastronomic corridor have filed the first individual amparo (injunction) against the Supervía Bajacaliforniana Sube-T, the planned second-level elevated highway connecting Otay to Nodo Morelos. The legal challenge targets a reported route change that would place a bridge directly over Avenida Centro Comercial, a commercial street the owners say is critical to their survival.
Business owners argue the new alignment would destroy both foot and vehicle traffic to their establishments. The Otay corridor is known for its concentration of restaurants and shops, and proprietors say an overhead bridge structure would make the area inaccessible to customers.
First Legal Challenge to a Troubled Megaproject
The amparo is the first formal legal filing against the Sube-T project, though the elevated highway has faced criticism on multiple fronts. Construction on Tijuana’s broader elevated viaduct system began with a reported budget of 750 million pesos (roughly $37.5 million USD at current rates). The project has already fallen behind schedule due to worker compensation disputes and quality control concerns. As of September 2025, the viaduct was reported at 91% completion, but with a reduced scope: the western end was cut short at Cañón del Matadero, eliminating the final 1.5 kilometers originally planned to reach Playas de Tijuana.
The Sube-T segment connecting Otay to Nodo Morelos represents a separate phase of the elevated highway network. Business owners along the Otay corridor say they were not consulted about the route change that would place infrastructure over their commercial district.
What the Amparo Could Mean
An amparo is a constitutional injunction under Mexican law that allows individuals or groups to challenge government actions they consider a violation of their rights. If a federal judge grants the injunction, the court could order a suspension of construction along the disputed segment. That could force a redesign of the route or at minimum delay the project’s timeline in the Otay area.
The Otay district sits in eastern Tijuana, near the Otay Mesa border crossing used by many San Diego commuters. The gastronomic corridor draws both local diners and cross-border visitors. A prolonged construction project overhead, or permanent elevated infrastructure blocking access, would directly affect the area’s commercial viability.
The elevated highway system is designed to ease traffic congestion along Avenida Internacional and routes near the San Ysidro Port of Entry. When completed, planners say the full viaduct will allow commuters to travel from Tijuana’s coast to the city’s international airport in about 12 minutes. But the project has been dogged by a dozen construction accidents, missed deadlines, and now its first legal challenge from affected businesses.
This story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.