San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
2nd port at Otay Mesa progressing
If things go according to plan, the longawaited second port of entry in Otay Mesa could begin operations by the end of 2024.
While the project has been under way on the U.S. side for seven years, with the construction of state Route 11 connecting to the new port of entry, news came last week from south of the border of a move that could speed up development.
Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador announced an infrastructure plan that includes 39 projects to revive the economy damaged by the pandemic. The effort includes a budget of 2.8 billion pesos ($132 million) for the construction of a second border crossing at Otay Mesa.
This investment will include 2 billion pesos ($94.5 million) for the construction of an access road to the border crossing and 800 million pesos ($38 million) for land acquisition, said Mexico’s consul general in San Diego, Carlos González Gutiérrez.
“The fact that it is one of the priorities in infrastructure shows the importance given to Otay II as a facilitator of our exports and of the economic integration between Mexico and the United States in general,” he said.
"(The border crossing port) will represent a way to capitalize on the renewed Free Trade Agreement seen on both sides as an important job creator,” he added.
In Mexico and in the United States, the added port of entry will be for commerce and passengers — so far no pedestrian access is being considered. It will be financed in partnership with the private sector.
Earlier this month on the U.S. side, paving began on the last 1.2-mile stretch that will connect SR-11 to the new border crossing. So far, about $528 million has been invested, said Mario Orso, project director with Caltrans.
The intention is to finish the roadway by the end of next year and to begin construction of the port of entry in 2022, with a possible opening at the end of 2024. It will be built on a 100-acre parcel a few miles east of the current Otay Mesa border crossing.
“This is going to be our port of entry for the 21st century, with technology and the possibility of growing as the need arises,” explained Orso. “This is the last piece of land we have between Tijuana and San Diego to be able to create another port of entry. There is no more land.”
Unlike other ports of entry between California and Mexico, this one will require a toll fee that will guarantee a specific waiting time to cross the border. This rate will vary depending on demand.
Once vehicle crosses, an electronic electronic payment will be required at one of the toll booths on the U.S. side. The collected amount, however, will be distributed between the two countries.
It’s envisioned the crossing will have 15 lanes open and no bottleneck. Having a new option for a border crossing will help reduce waiting times by up to 50 percent at the current ports of entry, authorities anticipate.
Eastern Otay Mesa could become more attractive for investment with the construction of new roads and a new international crossing. A huge Amazon distribution center is being built Just a few steps from the border.
“There is definitely more interest,” said Alejandra Mier y Terán, director of the Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
She said she believes that the greatest success of Otay II is that it guarantees a defined waiting time. It’s “something that has never been offered in this region,” she said.