It was a hurtful and high-profile example of “mañana.” But the highway to and from Rocky Point potholes are finally filled. Again. Thank goodness. Literally, figuratively, and frustratingly, it was a long and bumpy road getting to this point. Nonetheless, I’ll try to explain what happened.
More than a few Americans interpret “mañana” in English to mean, ”tomorrow.” Not so fast. This is because in Mexican culture, “mañana” is much less specific and time sensitive. Really, it means more like “at some point in the future.”
However, many visitors crossing the border Puerto Peñasco bring with a different mindset. They expect, even demand, higher quality for such an important road. Furthermore, they pack no patience in their suitcases when it comes to potholes. This is where the rubber met the road on the problem.
Highway to Hell for Puerto Peñasco
Federal Highway 8 in Sonora became like a highway to hell for all. It wasn’t just tourists. The road to Rocky Point potholes were also roadblocks for the local government and businesses which depend on tourism. The brutal heat and high volume of traffic were too much. Way too much.
It got so bad you couldn’t tell which part of the problem was getting worse faster. Was it the growing number of potholes or the viral spreading of online complaints from drivers?
The road seemed to deteriorate in waves. At first, I recall a nasty cluster of potholes on the northbound lane. It was just beyond the halfway point to Sonoyta and the U.S. Mexico border.
Secondly, that spread to a stretch about 10 kilometers long. The shoulder got crowded with motorists stranded by flat tires and/or bent rims. Not exactly signs promoting tourism.
With the third wave, that 10 kilometers of hell was joined by other clusters of potholes before and after.
Temporary Relief for Rocky Point Visitors
The fourth wave came In July, a successful local businessman stepped up to save the day (and a bunch of tires). Nick Najera got lots of high fives for patching up the highway to Rocky Point potholes by funding his own effort. He also enjoyed great promotion for his Esmeralda Resort.
However, the well-intended repairs and relief were temporary. Think of it like a thunderstorm or Arizona summer monsoon. The heat was back on quickly.
The fifth wave hit the other side of the highway. At this point, I could no longer simply warn my Sonoran Sun rental guests about potholes on the drive home. And later unfortunately, the endless summer of pothole problems fell into fall.
Hopefully a Highway to Heaven
The sixth and final chapter of the Rocky Point potholes saga was the saddest one of all. Details of the multi-vehicle incident are unclear. Were more people driving way too fast for the road conditions? Did one of the drivers swerve to avoid a pothole? Was the accident caused by a combination of factors?
Sadly, what is clear is what matters most. A family of three lost their lives partially as a result of this problem. The tragedy took place at the kilometer 55 mark on the Mexico Federal Highway 8 in Sonora. Hopefully, it will become a Highway to Heaven for them. If only the highway for Rocky Point potholes could have been fixed before this happened.
