BajaNews - 9-19-2011 at 07:50 PM
http://www.sddt.com/News/article.cfm?SourceCode=20110916cyb&...
By CARLOS RICO
September 19, 2011
Private investors on both the U.S. and Mexico sides of the border are in the process of getting a pedestrian bridge built that will connect San Diego
and the Tijuana International Airport.
Equity Group Investments, a private company based out of Chicago, and several individual investors in Mexico are backers in the construction of a
525-foot-long pedestrian bridge that will go from Otay Mesa directly over the border and connect into Tijuana's airport. The private investment
group’s name is Otay-Tijuana Venture LLC.
There is also an approximately 65,000-square-foot facility that will be built on the U.S. side that will have retail shops, a gathering area, and a
U.S. Customs and Border Protection area for those entering from Mexico.
The San Diego-Tijuana Airport Cross-Border Facility will act as a port of entry and is designed to eliminate the need for travelers to drive across
the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Greg Rose, managing director of Equity Group Investments.
“We, like the region, recognize the need to connect the Tijuana airport and improve movement for individuals to and from the U.S.,” Rose said.
The project is currently waiting on local permits and the approval of the Environmental Impact Report from the city of San Diego. Rose also said they
are still working on getting approval from the Mexican government’s Secretary of Communications and Transportation and exchanging dispositional notes
to show how the border crossing will work.
The San Diego-Tijuana Airport Cross-Border Facility has already received a Presidential Permit from the U.S. federal government, which was awarded a
year ago. This permit deems that the project is in the country’s national interest. The project has also received the approval of approximately 20
U.S. federal and state government agencies.
“We are working on several parallel paths to get this done,” Rose said. “There is a lot of political support on both sides of the border. Everyone
recognizes the need for an additional venue for people to cross the border.”
If everything goes according to plan, construction on the project would take off by the beginning of 2012 and be open for operation by the end of
2012. Rose said his group got involved with this project at the end of 2007.
The entire facility is estimated to cost $78 million, which includes the acquisition of the 55-acre parcel on the U.S. side.
Rose said there would be a toll for travelers to use this bridge, but he said that figure has not yet been finalized.
“The charging of a fee for individuals to cross is a return on our investment,” Rose said.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico operates the Tijuana airport, but is not an investor in the project, according to Rose. There will also be
modifications made to the Tijuana airport so that Mexican customs can verify foreign travelers going into Mexico.
Rose added that there are also plans to build amenities around the bridge on the U.S. side, including a parking structure, gas stations and hotel.
It is estimated that the San Diego-Tijuana Airport Cross-Border Facility will serve more than 2 million passengers.
Woooosh - 9-20-2011 at 06:08 PM
Does this mean they will close the tunnels there down? They have been talking this up for along time. Good idea. You would only be able to cross in
or out of Mexico there if you are arriving or departing on a flight.