Portion of Tijuana's Elevated Highway Opens, But Completion Still Far Off

The $1 billion project has faced construction delays, engineering issues, and cost overruns.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 3:15pm

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum cut the ribbon on a portion of Tijuana's long-delayed elevated highway project, which aims to connect the city's coastal neighborhoods to the airport and reduce border crossing congestion. However, the 7-mile highway is still far from complete, with only limited access points currently available and an expected final completion date sometime in 2027.

Why it matters

The elevated highway is a major infrastructure project intended to ease traffic and commute times in the congested Tijuana region, especially around the busy San Ysidro border crossing. But the project's ongoing challenges and delays have raised questions about its ultimate value and effectiveness.

The details

Work on the 'viaduct' as it's called began three years ago, but has been plagued by construction delays, engineering flaws, and cost overruns. The current open portion is only a small section of the planned 7-mile highway. When completed, it is expected to reduce commute times from 34 minutes to just 12 minutes from one end to the other. However, for now the only access points are right after crossing the border into Mexico or on the far west side, with no onramps in between, limiting its usefulness.

  • Work on the elevated highway began three years ago in 2023.
  • The current open portion was inaugurated by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on February 3, 2026.
  • The full 7-mile elevated highway is expected to be completed at some point in 2027.

The players

Claudia Sheinbaum

The current President of Mexico, who inaugurated the partial opening of the Tijuana elevated highway project.

Raul

A longtime Tijuana resident who expressed hope the highway will ease congestion, but is critical of the $1 billion price tag.

Rodolfo

A Tijuana taxi driver who is skeptical the highway will help reduce traffic, since the only access points are at the border and far west side.

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What they’re saying

“It's good that it's open. I hope it does ease congestion in Tijuana.”

— Raul, Tijuana resident

“There's no way to get on it from downtown, only if you cross the border from the United States. This is not going to help, traffic will remain the same if everyone gets on and exits at the same spot.”

— Rodolfo, Taxi driver

What’s next

City officials said as more of the viaduct is completed, additional access points will be opened. They hope the entire 7-mile roadway is finished at some point in 2027.

The takeaway

This long-delayed and over-budget infrastructure project highlights the challenges of major transportation initiatives, even when aimed at addressing pressing issues like border region congestion. The limited initial access and ongoing construction timeline raise doubts about whether the elevated highway will ultimately deliver the promised benefits to Tijuana commuters.