Finally got my chance to take the new South Bay Expressway (California 125) toll road this month, a November 2007-opened facility connecting California 54 near Sweetwater Reservoir with California 905 (Otay Mesa Road) near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Its a sleek road, providing four lanes of concrete with sweeping vistas of desert hills and suburban sprawl. Tolls are levied at all interchanges and the minimum for Fasttrak holders is 75 cents and cash customers of $3.00. Traveling the entire length of the 8.6-mile road entails a $3.75 toll for Fasttrak holders and $4.50 for cash customers.

Heading south on California 125 near Sweetwater Reservoir.

The road is operated by the Macquarie Infrastructure Group (MIG) toll consortium, with concessions lasting until 2042. In addition to connecting California 54 and Interstate 8 to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, the toll road serves a number of developments including the Otay Ranch Town Center, Village Walk, and Eastlake Village. The road was built with these developments in mind and drivers will notice that blended landscape in places where new buildings and the road come together.

Approaching Exit 7 (Otay Lakes Road) on California 125 south.

The south end presently concludes with California 125 ending at a traffic light with California 905 (Otay Mesa Road). California 905 represents an east-west route linking Interstates 5 and 805 with the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Upgrading of the highway to limited access standards is currently underway as part of a $619-million project.

A main line toll plaza for the South Bay Expressway resides near Brown Field and the end with California 905 (Otay Mesa Road). Fastrak account holders continue through as freeway speeds while cash paying customers must depart and enter a conventional toll plaza.

Presently California 905 exists as a freeway between Interstates 5 and 805 and the POE northward to Airway Road. Work on construction a new six-lane freeway between the existing freeways was recently partitioned from Phase 1 into separate Phase 1A and 1B projects due to funding constraints.

The at-grade intersection with Airway Road was eliminated by July 2009 as crews build a new roadbed for California 905.

Phase 1A involves building a new freeway to the south of existing Otay Mesa Road from Britannia Boulevard eastward to a merge with the existing freeway at Siempre Viva Road. Work on this project is well underway as of July 2009.

Looking south from Otay Mesa Road at construction of California 905 above La Media Road.

Phase 1B continues construction of the new freeway west from Britannia Boulevard to the Otay Freeway at Interstates 5 and 805. Additional phase to follow include Phase 2, improvements at CA-905 and I-805’s junction, Phase 3, building of a high-speed interchange between the South Bay Expressway and CA-905, and Phase 4, completion of the Heritage Interchange ramp.

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