Otay Mesa East Port of Entry facts for kids
The Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is a brand new border crossing being built between San Diego, USA, and Tijuana, Mexico. It's located about two miles east of an older crossing called the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. This new crossing will connect the Otay Centenario area in Tijuana with East Otay Mesa in San Diego County. East Otay Mesa is an undeveloped area that will soon have new buildings, like a business park. While cars and people will be able to use this crossing, it's mostly designed for large trucks and commercial vehicles.
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Why Build a New Border Crossing?
The main goal of the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is to make border crossings faster and easier. The existing border crossings often have very long lines, especially for trucks carrying goods. A new crossing will help reduce these delays. It will also support trade and travel between the United States and Mexico. This project is important for both countries because it helps their economies grow.
How the Project Started
The idea for this new crossing began to take shape in July 2014. Important officials from both Mexico and California signed an agreement to build it. Raúl Murrieta Cummings, a top official from Mexico's transportation department, and Brian P. Kelly, the head of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), signed this agreement.
At first, people hoped the crossing would be ready by 2017. It was planned to have 27 lanes for vehicles going from Tijuana to San Diego and 8 lanes for vehicles going the other way. The estimated cost for building this huge project was about 2 billion Mexican pesos. This is roughly 99 million US dollars.
Building the New Crossing
After some delays, construction finally began in August 2022. A "groundbreaking" ceremony was held, which is a special event to mark the start of construction. Workers are now busy building the roads, inspection booths, and other facilities needed for the crossing. The project is expected to be finished and open by late 2024. Once completed, it will be a major new pathway for trade and travel across the border.
See also
In Spanish: Garita Internacional Otay II para niños
- List of Mexico–United States border crossings
- List of Canada–United States border crossings
