New port of entry breaks ground in San Diego

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Lawmakers and dignitaries from both sides of the border attended Monday morning’s groundbreaking ceremony for the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry expected to open two years from now.

California’s Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of Transportation and other officials attended the event.

Mexico’s delegation included Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila and Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero.

The crossing is also being called Otay II, it has been two decades in the making and it will become San Diego-Tijuana region’s fifth border crossing.

This port of entry will be unique because it will process both commercial and private cars through the same traffic lanes, although not at the same time.

If more trucks are crossing, more lanes will be dedicated to trucks, if there are more private cars are in line, more lanes will be opened for single vehicles.

The new port of entry is also expected to improve the flow of goods and products between Mexico and the United States.

Another unique feature is that crossing will operate on a toll system, revenue will be shared between both countries as a way to recoup investment for the project.

A toll structure has yet to be determined.

Project engineers hope to finish the crossing in September 2024.

And proponents of the new crossing expect a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

“This project is also good for the environment,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “When you have these many cars idling for hours and hours at a time here at San Ysidro and Otay (two other crossings in area) that means emissions get into our atmosphere and it hurts our quality of life.”

Gloria said the region is already plagued by bad air quality, this will help in his opinion.

“We can significantly reduce emissions in our border, this is an area with high levels of asthma, there is poor air quality in communities like San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and Tijuana.”

Gloria went on to say the new port of entry will generate even more commerce and jobs in the area.

“This is going to expand jobs on both sides of the border,” said Gloria. “In Otay Mesa what you see is tremendous amount of construction, large warehouse facilities that will employ thousands of San Diegans, they are choosing this location because this port of entry is coming and more will come when it’s complete in 2024.”