The Otay Mesa Port of Entry has begun a $137.2 million construction project to expand pedestrian and commercial truck processing areas, Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. General Services Administration announced Tuesday.
The project will double the pedestrian inspection facility lanes from six to 12 and increase the number of commercial inspection booths from 10 to 16, they said.
Also included in the project are a new commercial annex building, parking for visitors and employees, a bus safety inspection facility and a Department of Agriculture-funded plant inspection station.
Upgrades include a northbound pedestrian bridge for access to the transit center, a relocated SENTRI enrollment center, and a dedicated return-to-Mexico truck lane.
During the fiscal year 2019, the port of entry said it processed 1 million trucks, 6.6 million vehicles and 3.6 million pedestrians.
“San Diego's ports of entry are among the busiest in the world with millions of people and billions of dollars in commerce crossing the border every year,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer.
“We welcome the federal government's investment in our border infrastructure as we've seen firsthand the positive impact of the recently completed expansion of the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry. Now we’re looking to grow this economic engine even more by increasing processing capacity at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry," he said.
The project is expected to be completed in spring 2023, according to the US GSA.
NBC 7 is awaiting word on if and how border crossings will be affected during construction.
