BajaNomad - New San Ysidro Border Crossing!!

New San Ysidro Border Crossing!!

k-rico - 12-18-2009 at 08:20 AM

Construction begins at San Diego border crossing
(AP) – 17 hours ago

SAN DIEGO — The federal government has begun construction to replace the nation's busiest crossing.

The General Services Administration on Thursday detailed its $577 million plan to demolish the 30-year-old San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego for a new crossing at the same site by September 2015.

Authorities say it will sharply reduce waiting times for motorists crossing the border from Tijuana, Mexico. The 50,000 vehicles that enter San Diego daily clog Tijuana roads during delays often as long as two hours.

California-bound lanes will grow to 30 from 24, and each lane will have two inspection booths instead of one.

Construction of a new pedestrian bridge that crosses Interstate 5 begins this month and is expected to be finished by June 2011.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jVP23FZmGY...

DENNIS - 12-18-2009 at 08:28 AM

Excellent. Of course, it's already obsolete but, it will help.

surfer jim - 12-18-2009 at 08:46 AM

Keep the existing crossing and build the new one nearby.

2015 is five years away....I can't wait.

[Edited on 12-18-2009 by surfer jim]

David K - 12-18-2009 at 08:53 AM

Way way back in time... 1970's, they proposed a second crossing near the ocean (Bull ring by-the-sea to Imperial Beach) which would have been great for all of us going south, beyond Tijuana or returning home from south of Tijuana... all so we could avoid any city traffic.

Instead the built the second crossing to the east, at Otay... the wrong direction for everyone coming north on Hwy. 1! The Blvd. 2000 finally makes Otay a good crossing, but still adds miles over a better crossing location near the coast.

PlayasMark - 12-18-2009 at 10:46 AM

What a novel idea, to have two inspection booths per lane instead of one! That might even obviate the need for a massive, disruptive rebuild, which is sure to fall behind schedule. As it is, I've *never* seen more than 20 of the 24 lanes in use. That can be infuriating after a long, unnecessary delay at that hellish place. I believe the main problem is NOT that resources and infrastructure are lacking; what's lacking are channels of accountability to insure the deployment of common sense. When there's a long wait at the pedestrian crossing, one invariably finds that only a small part of the staff is working the booths, while a larger part is standing around doing nothing. There are usually 4 people manning the x-ray scanner. It's often noted that the border delay costs the region $5 billion/year -- far, far more than the cost of operating that port.

DENNIS - 12-18-2009 at 10:52 AM

Welcome to BajaNomad, Mark. You brought some good points with you.
Personally, I think the Customs people use heavy traffic and back-ups as a tool. If they create additional stress to a crossing criminal, he would be more prone to exibit discomfort and earn a trip to Secondary.

Taco de Baja - 12-18-2009 at 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PlayasMark
When there's a long wait at the pedestrian crossing, one invariably finds that only a small part of the staff is working the booths, while a larger part is standing around doing nothing.

Sounds like the Post Office or the DMV..... :mad:

Government conspiracy connection? Hmmmm.

Woooosh - 12-18-2009 at 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by surfer jim
Keep the existing one one and build the new one nearby.

2015 is five years away....I can't wait.

For the life of me I can't think of a reason why they don't put a border crossing at Playas de Tijuana - so you could directly access the toll road and skip downtown TJ completely. It isn't like the environment could be harmed any more there at this point.

tjBill - 12-18-2009 at 11:53 AM

Now the problem is entering Mexico. There are only 7 seven lanes and no Sentri.

DanO - 12-18-2009 at 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
Of course, it's already obsolete.

Indeed. By 2015 it'll be 5 times more obsolete.

k-rico - 12-18-2009 at 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh

Quote:

Originally posted by surfer jim
Keep the existing one one and build the new one nearby.

2015 is five years away....I can't wait.

No question the more crossing lanes the better. A smaller crossing at the coast would be great. I say smaller because you don't want to draw from the main population centers to the east where I think most of the traffic comes from. Then the whole area at the end of the toll road would be jammed up. The Otay crossing was a good idea and I think needed more because that's where the population is growing the most and there's space to handle trucks (true?). I never use Otay.

Mexican citizens being able to get to work in San Diego everyday and other commercial considerations are probably more important than travelers being able to get home quick.

Maybe a west crossing will happen. The federal gov recently trumped the environmentalists with the wall construction, so that's a good precedent. Why not add a freeway extension that connects to I-5 and a border plaza at the beach?

k-rico - 12-18-2009 at 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tjBill
Now the problem is entering Mexico. There are only 7 seven lanes and no Sentri.

During afternoon/evening weekday rush hours approach using I-5 and stay in the left lane. It fans out to two inspection lanes.

At least that is what it looked like to me last night. I came south at 7:30 PM using the left lanes of I-805. 40 minute wait. It sure looked like the left lane of I-5 was moving faster. I eventually barged my way over to it.

Any frequent border crossing nomads think the same?

rts551 - 12-18-2009 at 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by k-rico

Maybe a west crossing will happen. The federal gov recently trumped the environmentalists with the wall construction, so that's a good precedent. Why not add a freeway extension that connects to I-5 and a border plaza at the beach?

The "trump was stop people from crossing not to help them!!! :lol:

tjBill - 12-18-2009 at 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by k-rico

Quote:

Originally posted by tjBill
Now the problem is entering Mexico. There are only 7 seven lanes and no Sentri.

Yes, if all seven lanes are open the left goes the quickest.

ElFaro - 12-18-2009 at 01:16 PM

Why don't they just "upgrade" all the tunnels they have found for border crossing to relieve conjestion. Heck...there's probably a group right now building a whole set of "multi-lane" tunnels from Mex side to US side. Let's just wait 'till their almost done, suddenly "discover" the whole operation, waive all the eco issues and just start using it as the 2nd crossing? Saves alot of $'s.

Martyman - 12-18-2009 at 01:22 PM

El Faro...you are a genius :biggrin:

You Might Be Right

Bajahowodd - 12-18-2009 at 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
Welcome to BajaNomad, Mark. You brought some good points with you.
Personally, I think the Customs people use heavy traffic and back-ups as a tool. If they create additional stress to a crossing criminal, he would be more prone to exibit discomfort and earn a trip to Secondary.

There's little doubt that is someone is trying to smuggle someone or something, sitting in line for a long time is going to raise their anxiety level.

As for the idea of a new crossing near the beach, wouldn't the California Coastal Commission have final say over at least a portion of that concept?

DENNIS - 12-18-2009 at 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd

There's little doubt that is someone is trying to smuggle someone or something, sitting in line for a long time is going to raise their anxiety level.

Yeah...Everybody has heard some of their stupid, senseless questions like, "Where do you live" or whatever. They don't really care where you live. They just want to hear how you answer the question. If you show any anxiety, they feel you may be ready for a closer look.

Russ - 12-18-2009 at 04:01 PM

I crossed ar 4:30 AM yesterday. No problem
A friend crossed 3 days ago with 8 L-16 batteries and patio furniture and declared them and was told to go through. How lucky is that?

DENNIS - 12-18-2009 at 04:47 PM

I'm hearing a lot that cars are being pulled over, piled high with shopping stuff, and told to go ahead.
Christmas spirit, maybe?

Barry A. - 12-18-2009 at 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd

There's little doubt that is someone is trying to smuggle someone or something, sitting in line for a long time is going to raise their anxiety level.

----asking "stupid, senseless questions"???? and then you go on to justify why they do that???? (which is a good reason, and SOP law enforcement, in my book.)

So, Dennis, are they doing their job, or not, in YOUR opinion??? and if so, why do you seem to redicule them??? surely you don't resent them, do you? (for doing their job)

Inquiring minds are confused by your statement----------

Barry

Construction begins at San Diego border crossing

BajaNews - 12-18-2009 at 07:57 PM

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jVP23FZmGY...

By ELLIOT SPAGAT (AP)

SAN DIEGO — The federal government has begun replacing the nation's busiest border crossing, promising shorter waits into California for tens of thousands of people who enter daily from Tijuana, Mexico.

The $577 million blueprint unveiled Thursday calls for increasing the number of lanes into San Diego to 30 from 24 and equipping each lane with two inspection booths instead of one. Six existing lanes into Tijuana will be moved slightly to the west.

Construction is scheduled to finish in September 2015, though the date hinges on money. Congress has funded about half — $293 million — none of it from the federal stimulus package.

Waiting times for the 50,000 vehicles that enter San Diego daily often reach two hours, clogging Tijuana roads. And as the Mexican government has beefed up inspections for guns and cash this year, motorists can wait more than an hour on California Interstates 5 and 805 to enter Tijuana.

Waits for California-bound motorists will drop significantly, but it's too early to say by how much, said Oscar Preciado, the program manager for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The first phase, beginning this month, calls for an 800-foot pedestrian bridge that crosses Interstate 5. It is expected to be finished by June 2011.

Critics said the design is unfriendly to pedestrians, who will still have only one entry to Mexico, on the west side of Interstate 5. Pedestrians leaving the San Diego Trolley's last stop on the east side of the highway must walk across the bridge. Under the new design, government officials say that walk will be about 200 yards longer.

The General Services Administration said it is negotiating with Mexico to add a pedestrian entry to Tijuana on the east side of the highway.

"It's not a question of if, it's a question of how and when it will happen," said Anthony Kleppe, asset manager in the GSA's Pacific Rim region.

Vehicle lanes will be partially closed late evenings for short periods when the bridge is being built, authorities said. In the worst case, all Mexico-bound lanes will be closed at night for a week and motorists will be directed five miles east to San Diego's other border crossing with Tijuana.

The Gull - 12-19-2009 at 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rts551
The "trump was stop people from crossing not to help them!!! :lol:

I don't get it. What does Donald Trump have to do with the border crossing construction?