Merchants and residents in Tijuana’s Otay district have called a protest for Saturday, July 11, against the Supervía Bajacaliforniana Sube-T elevated highway project. Organizers say the planned Otay-Nodo Morelos second-level roadway would cut through the neighborhood’s established restaurant and food district, threatening businesses that depend on foot traffic.
The rally is set to begin outside Lupitas Otay restaurant on Boulevard Lázaro Cárdenas, in front of a Soriana supermarket. Rodolfo Toledo, a merchant in the Otay zone, told Semanario Zeta that organizers may block the road depending on how many people show up.
Legal Battle Already Underway
The protest comes after Otay business owners filed 12 legal injunctions (amparos) against the Sube-T project. According to El Sol de Tijuana, construction along Avenida Centro Comercial in the Otay area has been halted as a result of the legal challenges.
Merchants have also sought information from the city government about the project’s impact. Francisco Javier Reyes Arzave, head of the Urban Administration Department for Tijuana’s Otay delegation, told a court that his office does not have the information that complainants requested. That response has fueled frustration among local business owners.
What Is the Sube-T Project?
The Sube-T is a toll elevated expressway designed to connect Rosarito and Tijuana while easing chronic traffic congestion along some of the city’s most congested corridors. The project has drawn support from commuters who spend hours in gridlock. But in Otay, where a cluster of restaurants, taquerías, and food vendors has built a regional reputation as a gastronomy zone, business owners fear the elevated roadway will block visibility, disrupt parking, and drive away customers during years of construction.
One merchant quoted by El Sol de Tijuana in May was blunt about the opposition: “We are not going to allow it. We will stand in front of the machinery.”
Traffic Disruptions Expected Saturday
Drivers crossing through the Otay area on Saturday should expect possible delays on Boulevard Lázaro Cárdenas if the protest includes a road blockade. The boulevard is a major east-west artery near the Otay Mesa port of entry, one of the busiest commercial border crossings between the U.S. and Mexico.
The Otay food district sits roughly 10 minutes east of the San Ysidro crossing and is a popular weekend destination for visitors from both sides of the border.
This story was first reported by Semanario Zeta.