A future port of entry for passengers and commercial vehicles that is being touted as “the border of the 21st century”. Planners in the United States and Mexico envision the project as a facility that would include state-of-the-art traffic management systems, bi-national lane management and toll collection, and private financing. The aim is to provide users with reliable and predictable crossing wait times of no more than 20 minutes to the primary inspection point.

5 805 125 905 SAN DIEGO TIJUANA SAN YSIDRO CHULA VISTA OTAY MESA Otay Mesa Rd. Palm ave. Britannia blvd. U.S.-Mexico border Brown Field Municipal Airport 1 mile San Ysidro port of entry Otay Mesa port of entry Cross border airport facility Otay Mesa East port of entry (proposed) Planned construction January opening planned SR-125 northbound connectors under construction 11

TOLLS:

Tolls are key to financing the project, which includes the port of entry as well as access roads. The current cost estimate is close to $900 million—about $700 million on the U.S. side. The Otay Mesa East Toll Facility Act, which was signed law in 2008 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, names the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) as the tolling authority, charged with raising the funds for the project through bonds. Once paid off, the facilities would be turned over to the U.S. and Mexican federal governments.

VARIABLE PRICING:

Planners are proposing a toll pegged to user demand at the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro ports of entry. The longer the waits at the other ports, the higher the toll at Otay East. A 2014 SANDAG study that looked at the project’s economic viability projected a median toll of $2.35 for passenger vehicles and $15.45 for commercial vehicles.

FLEXIBLE LANES:

Planners are exploring the idea of flexible lanes, which could convert from passenger to commercial, depending on the greater need.


ACCESS ROADS:

A key part of the project is the construction of access roads on both sides of the border. On the U.S. side, Caltrans is collaborating closely with SANDAG. Next month authorities are planning to open the first section of state Route 11, a toll road that eventually would connect to the planned crossing with direct access to Route 905 and state Route 125.

Sources: SANDAG; Caltrans