Tijuana’s municipal government will close several roads Saturday morning for the 5th annual “Tijuana con los Refugiados” charity race, a 5K event raising funds for the city’s refugee community. Drivers crossing into Tijuana or traveling through central areas should plan alternate routes between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
The race starts at 7:15 a.m. from the CREA Sports Complex, a well-known facility along Blvd. Padre Kino. Partial road closures will affect Blvd. Padre Kino near Hospital General, the slow lane on Vía Rápida Oriente heading toward the Pueblo Amigo bridge, and Paseo Centenario Avenue.
Alternate Routes to Avoid Delays
The city’s Police and Traffic Department is directing drivers to use four alternate corridors: Vía Rápida Poniente, Blvd. Agua Caliente, Blvd. Benítez, and Blvd. Cuauhtémoc Sur. The Pueblo Amigo area, located near the San Ysidro border crossing, is a common route for tourists and cross-border commuters. Anyone heading south from the border on Saturday morning should expect delays in that zone.
Vía Rápida Oriente is one of Tijuana’s main east-west corridors, connecting the Zona Río commercial district to neighborhoods further east. Its partial closure will affect traffic flow through the city’s central spine. Blvd. Agua Caliente, which runs parallel and passes near the Caliente Stadium and several major hotels, offers the most practical detour for visitors.
Race Organized With City Migration Office
The event is coordinated by Tijuana’s Municipal Directorate for Migrant Persons (Dirección Municipal de Atención al Migrante) and the Police and Traffic Department. Tijuana has long served as a major transit and settlement point for refugees and asylum seekers from Central America, Haiti, and other regions. The city hosts dozens of migrant shelters and support organizations.
This is the fifth year the charity race has taken place, with proceeds going to support Tijuana’s refugee population. All closures are expected to lift by 10:00 a.m., and streets will reopen on a rolling basis as runners clear the course.
This story was first reported by Jornada BC.