Progress on Otay Mesa East Port of Entry
The San Diego Association of Governments and the state Department of Transportation approved major agreements Friday to construct a port of entry in Otay Mesa, taking one more step toward making the project a reality.
At Friday's meeting, SANDAG's board of directors approved a Federal Project Agreement and future Donation Acceptance Agreements between SANDAG, Caltrans, the U.S. General Services Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. SANDAG and Caltrans had been negotiating with the two federal agencies for two years.
The FPA outlines the roles of agencies involved in the future port of entry's design, construction, commissioning, operation, ownership, management and future sharing of toll revenue, according to a statement from SANDAG.
As a result of Friday's decision -- and a related one to authorize $3.5 million to contractors for pre-construction services -- work will begin at the site this month.
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In December, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the new port of entry would coincide with an uptick in border security.
"This new port of entry will strengthen California's world-leading economy, create jobs and support regional communities through trade," Newsom said. "At the same time, we're further stepping up border security with a new CalGuard initiative targeting the cash and weapons that fuel cartel violence, complementing our successful efforts to block fentanyl from entering our state.
"California is proving that we can build strong international partnerships with Mexico -- our top trading partner -- to grow our economy and create jobs while prioritizing the safety and well-being of our communities," he added.
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While CalGuard will offer assistance in stopping illegal firearms and contraband from crossing the border, Newsom said he expected the new port-of- entry facility to speed up a lengthy crossing process -- cutting wait times in half at nearby crossings.
"The new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry is an example of the strong partnership between the Biden-Harris Administration, the government of Mexico, and the state of California to enhance our international trade and economic vitality, while ensuring our border security," U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in December.
Trade between California and Mexico through land ports of entry was valued at more than $88 billion last year, a statement from Newsom's office read. However, the impact of delays was also significant, costing $3.4 billion in economic output and 88,000 jobs.
In August, the California Transportation Commission allocated $36,141,000 to Caltrans and SANDAG on state Route 11 for the Otay Mesa East Land Port of Entry to construct drainage facilities, perform earthwork and paving, and work on temporary federal and state facilities.
According to the agencies, the total cost for the U.S.-side facilities is estimated at $1.3 billion. Once construction is underway, a phased- opening approach will be considered with a goal of opening in late 2027.
