FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 4, 2020
SAN DIEGO – The California Transportation Commission recently approved $42.5M in Trade Corridor Enhancement Program grant funding for the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry Project.
This project is a joint venture between the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), in collaboration with state and federal partners in the U.S. and Mexico, to create a 21st century border crossing for the San Diego-Baja California mega-region that will enhance regional mobility, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fuel economic growth, and bolster binational trade. The proposed border improvements will provide fast, predictable, and secure border crossings by constructing a four-lane tolled road connecting directly to a state-of-the-art Customs & Border Protection Land Port of Entry and a California Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility.
“Cross border travel and commerce is vital to our communities and our region,” said Councilmember Moreno. “The Otay Mesa East Facility will help in alleviating the congestion the San Ysidro Port of Entry faces daily by giving travelers an alternative route to cross into the United States.”
Additional improvements to the Port of Entry include a new border wait time detection system, advanced traveler information to improve route planning and an optimized port of entry capacity to decrease congestion and wait times. More information on this project can be found here.
The Trade Corridor Enhancement Program funds infrastructure improvements on federally designated Trade Corridors of National and Regional Significance, on the Primary Freight Network, and along corridors that have a high volume of freight movement, as determined by the Commission.
