MexicoTed - 1-27-2016 at 10:34 PM
Peds to get another walkway at San Ysidro
'PedWest,' coming in June, could shorten wait times that can last two hours
SAN YSIDRO — Starting in June, thousands of pedestrians can expect a choice when crossing the border from Tijuana to San Ysidro. A new entrance called
PedWest is scheduled to open on the west side of the port’s vehicle lanes, augmenting the current entrance on the east.
“At this point, we’re looking at a completion in May and probably opening for the first pedestrian sometime in June,” said Anthony Kleppe, senior
asset manager for the U.S. General Services Administration.
The PedWest entrance initially will have 12 lanes that connect with Mexico’s El Chaparral facility. The plan for PedWest is that 10 lanes normally
would serve pedestrians entering the United States, with two lanes set aside for southbound crossers. But depending on demand, their directions could
be reversed.
An estimated 24,000 pedestrians cross northbound each day from Tijuana to San Ysidro at the current facility east of the vehicle lanes, according to
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In recent years, lines have grown especially during peak hours, with people waiting two hours or more to cross.
The expansion of the pedestrian lanes is part of the massive $741 million reconstruction of the San Ysidro Port of Entry, scheduled for completion in
2019.
In addition to opening PedWest, GSA is preparing to replace the outdated 13-lane pedestrian entrance on the east side with a new structure that
includes 20 pedestrian booths. Opening also is scheduled for 2019.
Construction of the eastern facility won’t start until PedWest entrance opens, Kleppe said. And throughout the construction phase, northbound
pedestrian crossers will be able to continue crossing as they currently do in the existing eastern facility, where authorities have committed to
keeping at least six lanes open.
With 60 percent of pedestrian crossers boarding the trolley, located near the eastern pedestrian lanes, “we can’t just close that facility,” Kleppe
said. “We’re going to have six northbound lanes that will operate 24-7.”
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jan/21/new-san-ysidro-pedestrian-crossing/
SFandH - 1-28-2016 at 10:02 AM
Thanks for the news. I use the San Ysidro crossing frequently, both walking and driving, and the improvements over the past 5 years or so in both
modes of crossing, in both directions, have been huge. Glad to hear there is more to come.