First we must remember the improvements were completed to help the trucking industry, not the everyday person or RVer.
That said the small Southbound improvement is nullified by the increase in truck traffic. You MUST use the cargo / right lane when headed Southbound. It is IMPOSSIBLE for a RV to make it thu the maze in the auto / left lane. BUT with the increase in truck traffic, you could spend an increased sizable amount of time in line with the trucks to cross.
Northbound is a traffic engineer's nightmare. Now there are only two lanes of traffic at the bridge crossing just South of the border. One lane for the traffic coming from the toll road and one lane for the traffic coming from downtown Nogales. These two lanes open to three lanes and then to 4 lanes but can open to 5 lanes should the 5th inspection lane open. Only 4 lanes were open when we first started our crossing and time to cross was a HOUR. There are 9 lanes in total but some are still under construction. The problem arises at the point a lane is added / opened. There isn't any order but a full out fight for positioning by persons in the two nearest lanes to become the person in the new lane and it was not pretty (some of the worst lane fighting I have encountered). I see no improvement in the future because of the positioning of the new facilities.
RVs, Big Rigs & Buses MUST take the left / most westerly lane to cross back into USA. If you use one of the other lanes you will encounter a 90 degree turn just pass the auto secondary inspection area that will not let most rig pass. Everything is still tight and maybe tighter in the lanes of traffic leading to the inspection area. Be careful!
All in all, not much improvement for RVers or the everyday guy at this point. A major improvement for the Truckers but that is why the work was completed.
Side-note, the Police & Military were everywhere in Nogales. Talked to a local and he said they were happy they are there.
If I was crossing from East I would look at Naco and Lukeville in the West.
Side-note, the Police & Military were everywhere in Nogales. Talked to a local and he said they were happy with they are there.
With all the cartel violence in that area, I'd be glad of the increased military and police presence. Gruesome story a couple of weeks ago of headless bodies hanging from an overpass.
First law of science: don't spit into the wind.
Keep on rollin'!
Magnus
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