Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

New Libramiento Norte Around San Luis Potosi


Ezzie

Recommended Posts

I stopped in SLP tonight and it looks to me like the new Libramiento around the top of the city may be open. At least there is a sign coming from the north that points to Guadalajara on 57. If so, this would save a bunch of time since it connects 57 north of the airport to 80 just east of Villa de Arriaga.

Does anyone know if it is now open all the way across to 80??? I just bought a 2014 Guia Roji map book and it shows this bypass clearly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard that there's a direct, limited access right through town that is faster than using the south bypass cuota and the east bypass cuota but I've not heard anything about a new road that circles all the way around to the east. You could see this road I think you're talking about under construction shortly after you enter the east bypass cuota from the north.

The south bypass is in pretty poor condition and badly maintained, it would be great to not have to use it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have taken it several times and it is still full of rough spots and topes and longer and nothing to see They are building a overpass and service roads and digging up the ashfalt replacing it with cement near the turnoff to Zacatecas but it will be years or maybe decades before they finish this the whole route to the 80 libre. IMO It isstill a mess. I would stay on the freeway though town.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I checked it out. The bypass around the north is being done in two phases. The first phase was the 31 km. portion to connect 57 to 49D which is the toll road to Zecatecas. It is completed and was opened by El Presidente in mid-July. The second phase has been started and it is a 26 km. connection from 49D continuing on west to connect to 80 east of Villa de Arriaga somewhere - I am assuming somewhere close to where the reconstructed and nice 80 libre becomes the twisty bit through the mountains. Once this is completed (probably in a couple of years)we will be able to avoid the southern cuota bypass from Villa de Arriaga to 57 (which is in poor shape) and two tolls to get around the city and head on north to Matehuela.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree with Alan. Go straight through town, much better and faster.

Alan and Hud, could you detail how one goes through town now? The maps don't show any new roads, no surprise there given how poor maps are here. However, I am told that if you just keep going straight at Villa de Arriaga, you come out on the south side of town, come to a big circle, go straight through it and end up on a freeway that goes to the north side of town. Eventually you merge with 57 at the entrance to the east bypass.

It looks like that big circle is next to some sort of sports facility, does that sound right? It also looks like the circle is at the south periferico.

We would love to avoid that south bypass cuota which is not only a crappy road but it takes you way out of the way They should pay us to use this lousy road. To add insult to injury, the local cops are running speed traps in areas with artificially low posted speed limits.

However, the last time we tried driving through SLP it was a nightmare using the periferico.

We'll be going that way in 6 weeks. Would love to try a better way but don't care to get lost in SLP again. Any detailed description of the through town route or photos gratefully received. We'll be driving through there on a Sunday, that should be easier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried to take that road through this past Sunday and it was closed for some sort of foot race/marathon. Had to take the service road running beside it the entire way from the junction with 57 all the way to the glorietta near the west Periferico junction. Looks like a great alternative though if you actually get to use it!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting that you found out about the new cuota and I thought the overpass on the Mx. 57 north was simply a new highway to get to the road that ends at the hwy.16 in Villa de Arista. As you say it now is completed to Mx. 49 which goes from SLP to Zacatecas.

I was on the Mx. 49 last month and saw the overpass opened but thought it was just a short ways to a town close by to the north east and saw it was closed going west but had some hwy built in that direction which I knew would eventually go to the Mx. 80 libre in the future. I had no idea this cuota now connected to the Mx. 57 north.

It makes sense they are redoing the periférico from the Mx. 49 in SLP to the Mx. 80 libre at this time. The truck traffic cannot go through the city and the west and north periféricos are both in bad shape.

The overpass on the Mx. 49 at the new cuota and the west periférico are only maybe 4 or 5 miles apart and they have redone those few miles already heading to the periférico.

Still the poor truckers from Zacatecas or beyond going to Mexico City or Queretaro have to take the west periférico which is a poorly maintained ashfalt 4 lane hwy.

The truckers going north on the Mx. 57 from/to Zacatecas [in both directions] will now be able to fly across on this new cuota and avoid the crappy north periferico which is the hwy. I originally thought you were talking about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you come down from the hills into the city on the west Mx. 80 libre you go straight through the first glorietta onto a 4 lane divided blvd. called Cordillera de los Alpes and will past a Superama on your left in a couple of blocks. Continue 3 more long blocks to the second glorietta but go straight over it onto the freeway.

Use the freeway until the large overpass [about 20 minutes usually] and on your left, exit towards, as the sign says, Matehuala, not right, towards Queretaro and Mexico [they mean Mexico City].

Then you will see a large sign in a minute that says Saltillo. This is a short distance from the end the congestion of SLP.

When previously you took the west periférico, at that first glorietta, I have timed it, you took about 45 minutes to get to this spot. Now with this route 20 to 25 minutes even in the high traffic times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I missed the SLP bypass the other day and ended up going through the hills, then down through several villages, all with 24 topes each, then finally on the cross town which was great until the E side started with topes again. I managed to do it during the 5pm rush and was dragging a heavy trailer, all the drivers there seem to think they're NASCAR stars, no appreciation for anyone pulling a trailer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alan, are there a ton of topes before you get to the first glorietta? I haven't heard anyone advocating this route mention those.

The distance is obviously shorter but have you compared the times for the two routes? Driving through numerous villages and over numerous topes sure can rack up the time and irritation.

Once you hit the north side of town where the junction with the north side periferico is, what is it like from there? How long does it take from the previous exit point at Villa de Arriaga to that first glorietta?

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alan, are there a ton of topes before you get to the first glorietta? I haven't heard anyone advocating this route mention those.

The distance is obviously shorter but have you compared the times for the two routes? Driving through numerous villages and over numerous topes sure can rack up the time and irritation.

Once you hit the north side of town where the junction with the north side periferico is, what is it like from there? How long does it take from the previous exit point at Villa de Arriaga to that first glorietta?

Thanks.

There are 3 tiny villages with 1/2 dozen small type topes each and about 3 at each bus stop where the roads are going into the Ejidos, I think 3 are up there near the plateau. on the Mx. 80 libre going down the hills into the city from the plateau that is slow if a truck is in front of you and a 2 lane hwy. all the way down. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes of aggrevation to save 30 minutes drive time on this route and many miles [gas] than going all the way to the Mx. 57 on the 2 lane Mx.80 cuota [east of Ojuelos] to the cuota Mx. 57D San Luis Potosi bypass on the south end where the state pólice have usually set up speed traps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Alan. Actually, I think the guys running the speed trap racket are the local yokels but I couldn't swear to it.

We're going to try it. If it really saves 30 minutes over the other route that is a major time savings on a 10.5 hour run to the border.

I'll admit it, I hate those damned topes.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I have been driving around the periféricos here in SLP and have seen much construction going on. They have resurfaced almost 1/2 of the pothole infested west periferico and have been building 4 new bridges and put down ashfalt service roads and replacing the old ashfalt with cement on the north periférico. I presume they will have the north periferico finished by next year sometime. The present PRI Governor will be out next Dec.. I presume this has something to do with all the construction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, did I forget to mention that coming through the villages I got stuck behind an apparent septic pump truck from the late 1800's, must have had a million miles on it burning soft coal for fuel from the smell. He was in no hurry to cross the topes, so neither was I.

I saw a septic truck in front of me once with designer plates: "PU4ME2"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Allan Mexicali- you seem to know your way around SLP - so my question is. We are coming in from the north Hwy 57 and we continue straight on 57 and stay the night at the Holiday Inn Express. In the morning we continue on 57 past the Prison - near where the hotel Zar is and follow a sign that says 80 to Guadalajara and then end up on that barren stretch going to Villa Ariaga. Is there a more efficient way of doing this or are we doing it the right way.

If you can help in any way and have printed, updated directions, would really appreciate your help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you zoom in on this Google Maps you see clearly the cross town expressway Alan et. al. are talking about. Zoom on it and you can clearly see how the 57 runs directly into the 80 in the middle of town. you would take the 57 libre right hand exit on the north side of SLP and then just follow it to your hotel.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/San+Luis+Potosi,+Mexico/@22.1356658,-100.9607303,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x842aa20005acfb79:0xed2ee29afe18257?hl=en

What is being recommended here is to take the 57 to the 80 libre in the center of town and then take the 80 libre directly out to Villa Arriaga, at which point you will be headed south on the new cuota to Lagos de Moreno. Your hotel location, however, makes it a bit difficult to use the 80 libre direct to Villa Arriaga.

Although the first portion is reported to be a bit slow as you leave SLP on the southwest side, overall it is claimed you will save time over that long stretch of poor quality cuota that runs from the 57 south of SLP over to Villa Arriaga. We are going to be y

Unfortunately, it looks like your Holiday Inn Express is well south on the 57. You might want to consider switching to a hotel on the north side which will enable you to get back on the 57 before the 80 and use the direct route to Villa Arriaga.

Alan, what say you?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you zoom in on this Google Maps you see clearly the cross town expressway Alan et. al. are talking about. Zoom on it and you can clearly see how the 57 runs directly into the 80 in the middle of town. you would take the 57 libre right hand exit on the north side of SLP and then just follow it to your hotel.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/San+Luis+Potosi,+Mexico/@22.1356658,-100.9607303,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x842aa20005acfb79:0xed2ee29afe18257?hl=en

What is being recommended here is to take the 57 to the 80 libre in the center of town and then take the 80 libre directly out to Villa Arriaga, at which point you will be headed south on the new cuota to Lagos de Moreno. Your hotel location, however, makes it a bit difficult to use the 80 libre direct to Villa Arriaga.

Although the first portion is reported to be a bit slow as you leave SLP on the southwest side, overall it is claimed you will save time over that long stretch of poor quality cuota that runs from the 57 south of SLP over to Villa Arriaga. We are going to be y

Unfortunately, it looks like your Holiday Inn Express is well south on the 57. You might want to consider switching to a hotel on the north side which will enable you to get back on the 57 before the 80 and use the direct route to Villa Arriaga.

Alan, what say you?

Good instructions and as noted the time saved is 30 minutes and gas going the Mx. 80 libre route. The Holiday Inn Express is about 4 miles south on the Mx. 57 of the large well marked cloverleaf and a left hand exit/entrance onto that freeway and is 90 degrees.

To go straight around the 90 degree exit onto the Mx. 80 and out of town is almost 12 miles of freeway driving and a bit complicated as you will end up at a glorietta and follow the signs saying Guadalajara [straight through the glorietta] but later on your will see a sign Mx. 80 and it is driving for almost 30 minutes, and behind slow moving trucks and busses, up a steep hill to the plateau, with topes in all the 3 or 4 villages along the hill. The plateau is a straigt fast highway all the way to the exit near the new Lagos de Moreno cuota which is marked very well { 110 klms/hr. is our speed usually} and I have never seen a cop on it. Some people pass us doing 130 or 140.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for all the great information - now it might be a matter of finding another hotel on the north side of 57 before the 80 turnoff or I notice there is a Real Inn just off of 80. Anyone stayed there? Also even if we stay at the Holiday Inn Express, it doesn't look too complicated to get back to Hwy 80 (at least that's what google maps show me).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I stayed recently at the Hotel La Posada which is a business class hotel that is very close to the 80/57 junction. It was clean with secure off street parking. Has an on-site restaurant that was fairly good if you don't want to go out. Easy access to get onto the 80 from there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Earlier this year, San Luis Potosi's Libramiento Poniente was opened. It extends the Libramiento Norte, which terminated at the road to Zacatecas, and connects with the still fairly newish highway that connects through to Lagos de Moreno and Guadalajara. I believe it is designated 20D. Here is one of the videos on YouTube giving a driver's view of the road. 

I think this will save about a half hour v. going through the middle of SLP city, or the scenic route to the east of SLP (actually my favorite part of the run between Laredo and Chapala.) I intend to take the new route next week.

mapa-14.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...