The border crossing at Tijuana and San Ysidro is truly a sight to
behold. It is currently the busiest land crossing between any two
countries anywhere on the planet! Hundreds of thousands of cars and
pedestrians cross between Mexico and America every week. There are over
30 lanes of traffic at the customs and border patrol gates, and yet the
lines still stretch for miles. The foot-traffic isn’t any better either.
On any given day, a massive line of weary travelers snakes through the
streets of Tijuana.
The actual building and facilities that serve this junction are well past their prime and people have been calling for upgrades and a solution to the mind-boggling traffic and wait times. The government is finally taking action and has begun a renovation of the border crossing and customs area.
Because of limited space at the site, double-stacked vehicle gates will be installed. That’s right, two-story lanes of inspection traffic! Should be interesting to see what the final construction will look like. This will be a much-welcomed addition to the border, as it will greatly increase the vehicle traffic that can pass through at any given time. You’d think that 32 lanes of traffic would be sufficient, but it’s most certainly not at this bustling international intersection. When the upgrade is complete, there will be a jaw-dropping 62 lanes of traffic for primary vehicle inspections!
The entire customs and inspection area will be overhauled. It is being hailed as one of the most environmentally-friendly construction projects the federal government has ever undertaken. The facility will be completely self-sufficient in terms of energy needs, meaning that it will create just as much energy as it consumes. This is an impressive feat, and not many major building protects have accomplished this, let alone a government project. Solar panels, solar-heated water, low-energy light sources, and pioneering Geo-thermal energy technology will be used to accomplish the net-zero aspect of the buildings. After years of complaining about the sorry state of the customs and border protection building, I have to say I am truly impressed by the ambitious plans the GSA has put forth for this project.
The bridge that pedestrians must use to cross over the many lanes of traffic will also be replaced. Currently, border crossers are forced to walk through a seemingly endless series of spiral ramps to go up to the bridge and come back down on the other side. This has long been a major complaint, and we’re glad to see it finally addressed. The new bridge will allow pedestrians to quickly ascend a staircase to reach the bridge, with the option to take a ramp for those that cannot climb the stairs. This phase of the construction project is nearly complete.
Once construction ramps up, officials are touting a boost to the local economy. In these hard times, it is encouraging to see the federal government engage in much needed stimulative infrastructure projects. It should also improve the local economy in Tijuana as many more tourists will be compelled to cross into Mexico knowing their return trip won’t be as lengthy and irritating. This project will greatly improve the overall experience of those crossing into the country, and will have an immensely positive impact on the image the country and federal government puts forth to our neighbors.
Mexico is also updating its entry facility. Mexican customs has always been a breeze to cross through, but any new development is a step in right direction for boosting the struggling economy in Tijuana. The American and Mexican governments are working in tandem on this project. The I-5 will be relocated slightly to the west to accommodate the new facility and vehicle lanes.
The actual building and facilities that serve this junction are well past their prime and people have been calling for upgrades and a solution to the mind-boggling traffic and wait times. The government is finally taking action and has begun a renovation of the border crossing and customs area.
Because of limited space at the site, double-stacked vehicle gates will be installed. That’s right, two-story lanes of inspection traffic! Should be interesting to see what the final construction will look like. This will be a much-welcomed addition to the border, as it will greatly increase the vehicle traffic that can pass through at any given time. You’d think that 32 lanes of traffic would be sufficient, but it’s most certainly not at this bustling international intersection. When the upgrade is complete, there will be a jaw-dropping 62 lanes of traffic for primary vehicle inspections!
The entire customs and inspection area will be overhauled. It is being hailed as one of the most environmentally-friendly construction projects the federal government has ever undertaken. The facility will be completely self-sufficient in terms of energy needs, meaning that it will create just as much energy as it consumes. This is an impressive feat, and not many major building protects have accomplished this, let alone a government project. Solar panels, solar-heated water, low-energy light sources, and pioneering Geo-thermal energy technology will be used to accomplish the net-zero aspect of the buildings. After years of complaining about the sorry state of the customs and border protection building, I have to say I am truly impressed by the ambitious plans the GSA has put forth for this project.
The bridge that pedestrians must use to cross over the many lanes of traffic will also be replaced. Currently, border crossers are forced to walk through a seemingly endless series of spiral ramps to go up to the bridge and come back down on the other side. This has long been a major complaint, and we’re glad to see it finally addressed. The new bridge will allow pedestrians to quickly ascend a staircase to reach the bridge, with the option to take a ramp for those that cannot climb the stairs. This phase of the construction project is nearly complete.
Once construction ramps up, officials are touting a boost to the local economy. In these hard times, it is encouraging to see the federal government engage in much needed stimulative infrastructure projects. It should also improve the local economy in Tijuana as many more tourists will be compelled to cross into Mexico knowing their return trip won’t be as lengthy and irritating. This project will greatly improve the overall experience of those crossing into the country, and will have an immensely positive impact on the image the country and federal government puts forth to our neighbors.
Mexico is also updating its entry facility. Mexican customs has always been a breeze to cross through, but any new development is a step in right direction for boosting the struggling economy in Tijuana. The American and Mexican governments are working in tandem on this project. The I-5 will be relocated slightly to the west to accommodate the new facility and vehicle lanes.
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