Traffic issues Lakeside

[blankletmusic]

Is there a lot of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the careterra particularly at certain times of the day? I 'm guessing Ajijic and San Antonio would likely be the most congested areas.  Did the bypass in Jocotepec make a pretty significant difference with the traffic in town?

[Ferret]

There is always bumper to bumper traffic on the carretera except before 9 am. The crazy intersection at Walmart and the crazy drivers trying to make left hand turns where they shouldn't are the culprits. The Joco bypass has nothing to do with it.

[blankletmusic]

31 minutes ago, Ferret said:

There is always bumper to bumper traffic on the carretera except before 9 am. The crazy intersection at Walmart and the crazy drivers trying to make left hand turns where they shouldn't are the culprits. The Joco bypass has nothing to do with it.

I meant did the Joco bypass significantly ease the traffic in Jocotepec? Is the traffic between Chula Vista/ Mirasol  towards Chapala frequently gridlocked as well?

[Ferret]

ChulaVista/Mirasol is rarely gridlocked until you get to the lights in Chapala. In general east bound traffic is fine from west Ajijic going east once you get past the Ajijic Clinic.

[Natasha]

47 minutes ago, Ferret said:

In general east bound traffic is fine from west Ajijic going east once you get past the Ajijic Clinic.

My dear friend.......you don't live anywhere near AJjic / West Ajijic.   Trust me........ there are times as I exit VIlla Nova headed east it's a crawl until at least the "monument" at La Floresta.  And coming back to the west can be a breeze or a full-on nightmare.  And this when the winter people haven't started to arrive.  🤐

[RickS]

4 hours ago, Ferret said:

Snip.....  In general east bound traffic is fine from west Ajijic going east once you get past the Ajijic Clinic.

I too have to correct this statement..... and this is true at this moment in time, not just the winter. East bound if OFTEN/daily stopped... bumper to bumper starting around Ives restaurant. And it continues that way, like Natasha says, until approaching La Floresta. 

Westbound traffic is often that way too... Several times this week I was in basically stop and go traffic from about Panino's restaurant in San Antonio until I turned off the road around Strom Movers in west Ajijic. 

I was not expecting to see this in the summer also! I think it just proves that the serious traffic problem is NOT just gringo-caused but is indicative of the change in vehicle ownership and commercial traffic in general at Lakeside. 

[Kiko]

I don't worry about traffic in Ajijic much, if I have to go to that area my wife can drive and I take a nap.  It just does not matter to me if I am asleep.  😴

[Ferret]

Then I stand corrected. I tend to make that trip twice a week... Saturdays and Tuesdays. But, I always find it faster coming home than going west. YMMV. Today, it took me 35 minutes to get to Chopsticks from Riberas but, on Sundays, I can get to San Juan Cosala in about 30 minutes. Early bird gets the worm... or the easiest drive. The traffic was bad enough back in 2015 when we lived in La Huerta and every place that I wanted to go to was east of Walmart. That's why I live on this side of the intersection from hell. Hospital, Opthamologist, Doctor, Dentist, three grocery stores, Vet, computer repair, multiple bazaars and some really good dining places,two Oxxo stores, several viveros, a gas station and my car mechanic are all within 5 minutes. I'm more than happy. YMMV.

[Whipstock]

A good 3min listen from NPR:

 

https://www.npr.org/2011/09/05/140159009/why-the-trip-home-seems-to-go-by-faster

 

 

[Usvetsinmexico]

Just buy a bike. Travel time is half of a car. Having a bike and a car let's you have it all. 

[Ferret]

1 hour ago, Whipstock said:

A good 3min listen from NPR:

 

https://www.npr.org/2011/09/05/140159009/why-the-trip-home-seems-to-go-by-faster

 

 

Amusing but not as good as actually timing it and that is what I do. 

[blankletmusic]

On the other end of the carreterra, has the Jocotepec bypass reduced  the local traffic in Jocotepec substantially?

[RickS]

Anecdotal answer:  To my knowledge traffic no longer and hasn't for a long time gone directly through downtown Jocotopec.... coming into town from El Change, traffic diverts south and then west on a 2-way street.

I recently, going east-west, took the bypass over the hill around noon time. Not much traffic going either way.  I came back into Joco and drove west-east on Vicente Guerrero and then that southern street route.... not directly through centro Joco. Some traffic... and lights of course.....  but certainly nothing out of the ordinary. 

One trip does not a statement about traffic in Joco... I could have hit the sweet spot... but 

[BenjiBoy]

There are more cows and horses on the Joco by-pass than cars. Traffic is not a problem...finding a parking spot is, as some streets are being properly repaved and that prevents a lot of cars from finding a parking space.....life in Joco is slower in a lot of ways than it is in "Gringolandia."

Fred Habacht

[Natasha]

21 hours ago, RickS said:

.....I was not expecting to see this in the summer also! I think it just proves that the serious traffic problem is NOT just gringo-caused but is indicative of the change in vehicle ownership and commercial traffic in general at Lakeside. ............

You're forgetting, my friend, the amount of new construction west of Ajijic ( single-family, small or larger gated communities, etc) with  accompanying influx of mostly  foreign purchasers (some with 2 cars) who must be on that road for nearly everything they want to do, ergo very large effect on congestion.

[blankletmusic]

If you live in either Chapala or Jocotepec (and conduct most of your business in either) will you be minimising the  bumper to bumper traffic to a pretty good degree?

[RickS]

Absolutely.

[barrbower]

Here is an update on a new traffic headache about to happen.  Allen W. Lloyd street, which is the intersection in San Antonio by Cafe Negro, will soon be a two-way through street connecting the libramiento and the carretera.  It is designed to help reduce the flow of traffic through the horrible WalMart intersection designed by Jalisco state government.  The city thinks this shortcut will help overall traffic.  If you have ever gone to El Parque, Lakeside Little Theater, the San Antonio panteon, or other places along this street, you know it is already a bad intersection.  The street narrows as it heads north and also there is always traffic on the restaurant lateral trying to get out to the highway.  People can't seem to figure out how to leave room for cars turning from the highway.  There are new "no parking" signs on the east side of the street but cars still park there.  Now you will have cars and trucks taking the shortcut from the bypass near El Dorado to get to San Antonio and WalMart, as well as the reverse, to add to the traffic knot that already exists.  Sorry for those who attend the theater, school, and residents of El Parque because your lives just got harder.

The state should just admit failure and bulldoze the WalMart intersection and just install a traffic circle.  What a waste of resources...

Alan

[RickS]

So you are suggesting that Calle Allen Lloyd will be extended north to intersect the Libramiento 'somewhere around/just east of the entrance to Vista Alegre? For that to be effective would there not have to be a new traffic signal there? 

I know that I am in the minority here but.... I just don't find the 'Walmart' intersection to be such a nightmare... considering the amount of cars in general on the road nowadays. Both now and in the high season (which I don't see much difference any more!). Of course it is worse than it was 10 years ago, but what isn't.

 

 

[Usvetsinmexico]

17 minutes ago, barrbower said:

Here is an update on a new traffic headache about to happen.  Allen W. Lloyd street, which is the intersection in San Antonio by Cafe Negro, will soon be a two-way through street connecting the libramiento and the carretera.  It is designed to help reduce the flow of traffic through the horrible WalMart intersection designed by Jalisco state government.  The city thinks this shortcut will help overall traffic.  If you have ever gone to El Parque, Lakeside Little Theater, the San Antonio panteon, or other places along this street, you know it is already a bad intersection.  The street narrows as it heads north and also there is always traffic on the restaurant lateral trying to get out to the highway.  People can't seem to figure out how to leave room for cars turning from the highway.  There are new "no parking" signs on the east side of the street but cars still park there.  Now you will have cars and trucks taking the shortcut from the bypass near El Dorado to get to San Antonio and WalMart, as well as the reverse, to add to the traffic knot that already exists.  Sorry for those who attend the theater, school, and residents of El Parque because your lives just got harder.

The state should just admit failure and bulldoze the WalMart intersection and just install a traffic circle.  What a waste of resources...

Alan

Wow so over dramatic. Talking about theater in your post makes sense because your way over acting.  Traffic is no worse than any co mountain town with 1 main street thru town. We are all retired and have loads of time. I drive a car and ride a bike. If the traffic is that bad in your head just get a bike. 

[ibarra]

A few years ago what looks like the beginning of street was started just past Fogon de Charlotte on the libramiento.  It is possible that will connect to Calle Allen Lloyd.

[Voir dire]

IMO Part of the congestion at Walmart intersection could be eliminated easily. 

1) Allow traffic from the libramiento to go straight into Walmart.

2) Allow traffic coming from San Antonio etc., to turn left into Walmart via a stoplight.

[Natasha]

You can already see that road with cobbles set in  cement all the way up to the "bridge" as you wait in the slow traffic ( speed bumps) heading downhill, starting at the new hospital on libramiento.  It's my understanding there will  be an underpass and at least a semi-cloverleaf there..... but I forget how it's going to work.  Of course, what "they" said then and what "they" say now will have changed anyway.

[ibarra]

Kind of hard to imagine it unless Calle Allen Lloyd is widened at the entrance.  As it is now, that is a pretty sharp turn going up the street by Cafe Negra if you are coming from Riberas etc.  But, hey.  I am sure they have that all figured out. Jajaja!

[luvsdawgs]

6 hours ago, RickS said:

So you are suggesting that Calle Allen Lloyd will be extended north to intersect the Libramiento 'somewhere around/just east of the entrance to Vista Alegre? For that to be effective would there not have to be a new traffic signal there? 

I know that I am in the minority here but.... I just don't find the 'Walmart' intersection to be such a nightmare... considering the amount of cars in general on the road nowadays. Both now and in the high season (which I don't see much difference any more!). Of course it is worse than it was 10 years ago, but what isn't.

 

 

That is already a through road, I have used it before. The problem is it is part of the arroyo and has badly washed out in the past. It comes out on the south side of El Dorado across from the medical center. There is an "underpass" for the water from the arroyo to go through on its' way down to the lake.

I noticed the new sidewalk which was put in between Laguna mall and the gas station and I think that is the property which is going for $3,200,000.00. The property after Charlotte's is also quite big and borders on the arroyo/road by el Dorado and it may be the one for sale, don't know.

https://www.google.com/maps/@20.3001643,-103.2411636,651m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu