Baja governor opens bidding on Ensenada airport

“[Ensenada] has potential to be well known on a global level, but it’s not easily accessed,” said Roberto De La Peña, “the airport would attract more people and put Ensenada on the map.”

On June 15, Governor Francisco ("Kiko") Vega announced that he is seeking a business (to place their bids) to build the new Ensenada airport. Vega, governor of Baja California, said “thanks to an important investment made by the state government, we already have the site and guidance by the SCT (Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes) to carry out the construction of this airport in Ojos Negros.”

De La Peña is a 24-year-old U.S. college student who travels back and forth to his hometown in Ensenada. He said that Ojos Negros is “kind of out of the way and there is not much to do there [which is] probably the reason why they are building it there.”

In April, 2015 Reader writer Barbara Zaragoza did a story called “Cheese dreams in Baja’s Ojos Negros,” and said that it is a 40 minute drive east from Ensenada.

“In the 700 hectares (1729 acres), there will be a track for the future landing of aircraft to move local and national passengers and tourists, a main active transport for cargo, and enough space to accommodate military installations when required,” said the executive head at the meeting, as reported by Ensenada Online.

Vega said that he chose the transparent method of offering the project up for bids, despite (the governor) having the power to assign the airport-project directly to a private company.

Robert L., like other Ensenada residents, agrees with the benefits of the new airport, but he does have suggestions on what needs to be fixed first in his city. “[First]; expand and improve the Ensenada/Ojos Negros connector road — it is not suitable for traffic to [and from] an airport. Second; the potholes in Ensenada, if you talk about tourism, it is a [bad] image for Ensenada. Third; “chocolate” (unregistered) cars that do not pay anything and circulate for years without insurance. I see the good that the airport project [will bring], but there are priority issues.”