BajaNomad

About the New San Ysidro Crossing

k-rico - 1-26-2010 at 12:52 PM

More lanes with tandem inspection boths in each.

News Article

[Edited on 1-26-2010 by k-rico]

san_ysidro_2.jpg - 23kB

Bajahowodd - 1-26-2010 at 01:03 PM

That appears to be quite an undertaking. Hard to believe they will be able to get it all done without adding to delays during the construction. But, that's what they said. 2015, huh?

tjBill - 1-26-2010 at 04:27 PM

The new port of entry looks so nice and clean. :D


BajaGeoff - 1-26-2010 at 05:23 PM

Pretty accurate job on the rendering....the guy on the bottom right is selling churros! Makes me want do drive down to the border and get a snack.

woody with a view - 1-26-2010 at 05:47 PM

churros are hideous.....

jgreenlaw1 - 1-27-2010 at 02:27 PM

churros taste and smell good, the only problem is dont eat anything fried in mexico as it will be most likely be fried in lard. Except carnitas, they are fried in pork fat. Maybe ive eaten too many over the years as my cholesterol is now 344 with high triglisorides.

DanO - 1-27-2010 at 03:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jgreenlaw1
churros taste and smell good, the only problem is dont eat anything fried in mexico as it will be most likely be fried in lard. Except carnitas, they are fried in pork fat. Maybe ive eaten too many over the years as my cholesterol is now 344 with high triglisorides.


344? Dude, call an ambulance right now! BTW, lard is pork fat.

DENNIS - 1-27-2010 at 04:38 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by tjBill
The new port of entry looks so nice and clean. :D




It looks like a great big jail cell.

Russ - 1-27-2010 at 05:47 PM

That's the new "friendly secondary"

san_ysidro_1.jpg - 30kB

Bajahowodd - 1-27-2010 at 05:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DanO
Quote:
Originally posted by jgreenlaw1
churros taste and smell good, the only problem is dont eat anything fried in mexico as it will be most likely be fried in lard. Except carnitas, they are fried in pork fat. Maybe ive eaten too many over the years as my cholesterol is now 344 with high triglisorides.


344? Dude, call an ambulance right now! BTW, lard is pork fat.


Separates the pretenders from the real folks. No?

BajaNaranja - 1-28-2010 at 10:28 AM

No no no, that's never going to work - it is way too small, and it can't be made out of wood, either.

k-rico - 2-17-2010 at 10:31 AM

More info/news

http://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/Major-Renovation-o...

San Ysidro Border Crossing Expansion

Gypsy Jan - 2-20-2010 at 02:25 PM

http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-01-25/mexico/san-ysidro-co...

[Edited on 2-20-2010 by Gypsy Jan]

Border Crossing Upgrades Expected to Cost $700M

k-rico - 7-5-2010 at 03:09 PM

http://www.sdbj.com/news/2010/jul/05/border-crossing-upgrade...

By Lou Hirsh

Monday, July 5, 2010

Work is moving forward on long-awaited improvements to the U.S.-Mexico border entry ports in southern San Diego County — expected to cost a total of nearly $700 million by the time they’re completed.

Officials say improving the heavily congested land ports of entry near the Mexican border, located at Otay Mesa and San Ysidro, is crucial to trim wait times at crossings — sometimes lasting up to two hours — which are impacting the quality of life for commuters, and choking off potential future economic growth for the region.

Design work is proceeding on the Otay Mesa Land Port of Entry, which authorities say handles the highest dollar volume of trade among all U.S. land ports, expected to cost between $100 million and $120 million. A completion timeline is still to be determined, though construction is expected to start in 2012.

To the west at the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land port by traffic volume, construction began in December on what will be around $577 million in improvements over three phases, set for completion by 2015.

Improvements at both ports include adding entry and exit lanes, expanding inspection facilities, redirecting traffic to quicken overall vehicle flow, and adding pedestrian-friendly walkways and services.

Balancing Security and Commerce

At a June 30 forum in Otay Mesa, presented by the Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Customs Brokers Association, authorities overseeing the port projects said improvements are in progress that will balance the need to ease the flow of vehicles and manufactured goods, while maintaining enhanced federal security standards being enforced to guard against terrorist attacks.

Paul Morris, director of field operations for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, said inspection operations at the local ports will have undergone “a 180-degree change” by the time improvements are completed.

He said customs and homeland security officials are “continuing to obtain the backing of Congress” for improvements at U.S. land ports, and there is currently “unprecedented capital spending” being focused on the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro sites.

For instance, changes will add 10 acres to the Otay Mesa port and increase the size of facilities by 200,000 square feet. Putting various border regulatory agencies under one roof will speed enforcement actions, Morris said.

Authorities said at the forum that the pace of improvements going forward will depend on funding becoming available, though some work is already being financed through federal stimulus programs geared to infrastructure projects.

David Leites, project manager with the U.S. General Services Administration who is involved with the Otay Mesa port project, said green building practices are also being incorporated into the port improvements.

Operations are also being reconfigured to streamline the way hazardous cargo is inspected, to avoid delays now being caused to vehicles not carrying such cargo.

Anthony Kleppe, an asset manager with the GSA involved with the San Ysidro port expansion, said that port will include a pedestrian plaza that allows safer access to public transit from the border area.

Semis, Sedans and Folks on Foot

According to federal data, the Otay Mesa port handles an average of 16,440 passenger vehicles and 2,044 trucks daily, along with 3,741 pedestrians. San Ysidro handles more than 50,000 vehicles and 25,000 pedestrians daily.

Much of the current port traffic stems from goods being transported between factories and distribution hubs located on both sides of the border, as well as commuters who work at companies on both sides.

However, regional planners and business leaders contend that improving port entry access and easing commutes has implications well beyond trucking and manufacturing.

A 2008 study conducted by researchers at UC San Diego’s Export Access program, for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, noted that facilitating commutes across the border will have direct positive effects for San Diego County businesses, by expanding the available labor pool and increasing productivity.

Over the next 10 years, researchers said, that would mean economic gains to employers in several sectors, including manufacturing ($76.2 million), agriculture and landscaping ($56.9 million), construction ($41.4 million), auto repair ($33.6 million) and hotel service ($30.5 million).

By lowering border wait times and increasing the number of cross-border trips, the study concluded, there would likely be an increase in local spending by visitors over the next decade — 57 percent for retail, 30 percent for food and restaurants, 8 percent for recreation-related businesses, and 4 percent for hotels.

A 2006 impact study by the San Diego Association of Governments noted that nearly 730,000 trucks travel north across the San Diego County/Baja California ports of entry from Mexico annually, with a similar number crossing southbound.

Also, more than 60 million people, including drivers and pedestrians, cross the border each year, with more than half of the trips for shopping and recreation, and about one-sixth related to commutes to and from work.

Sandag concluded that if steps are not taken to improve border crossing and transportation infrastructure and management, border delays will keep growing and losses incurred by regional and national economies will more than double in the next decade.

The annual economic output loss would be $9.9 billion for San Diego County and Baja California by 2014, and 104,146 jobs could be lost by then because of crossing delays.

wilderone - 7-6-2010 at 08:50 AM

"Over the next 10 years, researchers said, that would mean economic gains to employers in several sectors, including manufacturing ($76.2 million), agriculture and landscaping ($56.9 million), construction ($41.4 million), auto repair ($33.6 million) and hotel service ($30.5 million). ...
there would likely be an increase in local spending by visitors over the next decade — 57 percent for retail, 30 percent for food and restaurants, 8 percent for recreation-related businesses, and 4 percent for hotels. ... nearly 730,000 trucks travel north across the San Diego County/Baja California ports of entry from Mexico annually, with a similar number crossing southbound."

So the result will be more Mexicans taking jobs in San Diego County? More money being spent in Baja CA? More trucks on California's highways? More illegal imports? More trucking on Hwy. 1? - as if there isn't enough already. Sounds like this expansion project, paid for by the US Govt, will benefit Mexico more than the US.

k-rico - 7-7-2010 at 06:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
So the result will be more Mexicans taking jobs in San Diego County? More money being spent in Baja CA? More trucks on California's highways? More illegal imports? More trucking on Hwy. 1? - as if there isn't enough already. Sounds like this expansion project, paid for by the US Govt, will benefit Mexico more than the US.


Jeez, grumble, grumble, grumble.

Expanding the border crossing will benefit citizens of both countries, everyone that uses it and those who do business with border crossers.

And the only jobs I've ever "taken" were first offered to me.

wessongroup - 7-7-2010 at 06:57 AM

:lol::lol:

Mexico begins work on expanded border crossing

k-rico - 8-28-2010 at 07:59 AM

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/27/mexico-begins...

TIJUANA — A major expansion of the San Ysidro Port of Entry entails a counterpart project south of the border, and work has already begun to accommodate the future southbound flow of cars from San Diego into Tijuana.

Mexico’s investment in the expansion project—about 700 million pesos, or $54 million—includes work on three bridges over the Tijuana River that will serve to channel southbound traffic into Mexico. Authorities expect to complete two of those bridges by the end of the year, said Mario Diaz, director of strategic projects for the Baja California government. By 2013, Mexico will be ready on its end to receive vehicles at a new southbound crossing located at El Chaparral, east of the current lanes.

Mexico next month expects to open three additional lanes at the existing crossing, increasing the number of lanes from six to nine. But the new Chaparral crossing will have 19 southbound lanes, more than double that number.

The new crossing is being built on Mexican federal property that now is largely vacant, and will not involve relocation of any residents in the adjacent neighborhood, known as Colonia Federal, Diaz said.

elgatoloco - 8-28-2010 at 08:07 AM

Cool. New southbound crossing will help. :dudette:

k-rico - 8-28-2010 at 08:11 AM

BTW, I read about a month ago that a contract has been given to a private road builder to build an elevated roadway above the old border highway from the SY crossing to the toll road. Haven't seen anything since though.

skipowell - 8-28-2010 at 09:29 AM

After coming across San Ysidro on Friday night (8/27) at 5:20pm with NO wait
only to get stuck on the border fence road for 45 minutes (there was an accident) I am more interested in the elevated new roadway right now!

k-rico - 8-28-2010 at 09:46 AM

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/01/alternate-bor...

Alternate border route set
Elevated toll road will have 4 lanes
By Sandra Dibble, UNION-TRIBUNE

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at 12:02 a.m.

It is known as El Segundo Piso, or the second floor, an elevated four-lane toll road linking the San Ysidro border crossing with the seaside suburb of Playas de Tijuana. Paralleling the U.S. border fence for much of its six-mile route, the roadway will offer U.S. visitors an alternate access to Baja California’s coastline.

“Whoever chooses to get on will be able to avoid the conflicts down below,” said Francisco Javier Pujol, an adviser in the Tijuana City Manager’s Office.

The toll road will be built directly above Avenida Internacional, the main route from the border to Playas de Tijuana, where travelers typically access the Ensenada Toll Road. Avenida Internacional has been a problematic gantlet for tourists and local residents, prone to flooding, congestion and accidents. In addition, corrupt police officers have targeted foreign visitors who used the roadway, though reports of extortion have diminished significantly.

The city has opted not to use taxpayer funds for the $200 million project, selecting a Mexico City-based consortium to build it, in exchange for the right to operate it for 30 years and collect tolls. Mario Escalante, commercial director for one of the two groups in the consortium, Union Presforzadora, said the road will include closed-circuit cameras and other security features.

Escalante said construction is expected to begin within two months, with completion in about two years. The toll will be about $2 and apply in both directions. Escalante said the consortium is studying the possibility of a discount program for frequent travelers, but no decision has been reached.

City officials say the elevated toll road will be far less costly than building another road through the neighborhoods just south of the border fence.

“It would cost more to tear down buildings than what the entire toll road is costing,” said Pujol of the City Manager’s Office.

Close to 70,000 vehicles use Avenida Internacional each day in both directions. Studies show that about 25,000 drivers a day would use the new toll road.

Sandra Dibble: (619) 293-1716; sandra.dibble@uniontrib.com

k-rico - 11-9-2010 at 09:57 AM

More info about the crossing. Looks like the current southbound lanes will be turned into northbound lanes and new southbound lanes will be added a bit to the west. At least that's what I think is planned in phase III.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ysidro_Land_Port_of_Entry_E...




[Edited on 11-9-2010 by k-rico]

SoCal-Bob - 11-9-2010 at 10:24 AM

Anyone know when work will actually begin on the border crossing or the elvevated toll road?

The earlier articles in this thread only give vague statements like "work is under way." But in October I didn't see any work on an elevated toll road or new entry buildings. I imagine there is alot of planning, but I'm curious about when the work starts.

I imagine construction will make traffic worse through those routes. Makes using Otay seem like a better idea.

[Edited on 11-9-2010 by SoCal-Bob]

DENNIS - 11-9-2010 at 11:16 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoCal-Bob
The earlier articles in this thread only give vague statements like "work is under way." But in October I didn't see any work on an elevated toll road or new entry buildings. I imagine there is alot of planning, but I'm curious about when the work starts.




Eeeees Mesico. Hard if not impossible to expect something to start when they say it will.

tjBill - 11-9-2010 at 11:31 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by SoCal-Bob
Anyone know when work will actually begin on the border crossing or the elvevated toll road?


According to the Wikipedia article k-rico gave us,

"In the Mexican side, construction of the links that will connect the new El Chaparral Facility with the main freeway (Via Rápida) and highway Internacional which takes riders to western Tijuana (Playas) and nearby Rosarito has started and will continue until 2013.In the Mexican side, construction of the links that will connect the new El Chaparral Facility with the main freeway (Via Rápida) and highway Internacional which takes riders to western Tijuana (Playas) and nearby Rosarito has started and will continue until 2013."