State transportation officials have recommended that $140 million be awarded to Caltrans and the region for the State Route 11/Otay Mesa East Port of Entry project.
The California Transportation Commission is expected to approve the award, as part of the Senate Bill 1 Trade Corridor Enhancement Program, later this month.
The project, at a cost of nearly $1.5 billion, will open a new access point along the U.S.-Mexico border for personal and commercial vehicles and include implementation of demand pricing in an attempt to manage traffic and decrease congestion, lower wait times and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is a huge investment in the San Diego region and will help to connect our communities and move freight throughout our binational region, promoting economic prosperity and a cleaner environment,” said San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas, who also serves as chair of the San Diego Association of Governments.
The $140 million in state funding will support construction, chargers and solar panels for on-site power generation for the commercial portion of the new port of entry. The U.S. Department of Transportation already set aside $150 million for the Otay Mesa East project last year.
Gustavo Dallarda, director of Caltrans District 11, called point of entry “a unique, binational build that will benefit communities on both sides of the border.”
“These are exciting times for transportation. We are seeing investments in our infrastructure like never before,” he said.
Congestion and delays at the border have resulted in economic losses for the region, state and nation. Once the Otay Mesa project is built, it is anticipated that it will increase the economic value of the region’s cross-border freight by 30% while contributing approximately $11 billion to national GDP and producing nearly 90,000 jobs.
SANDAG and Caltrans broke ground on the project in August 2022 and are collaborating with federal partners on the design. Construction on the future federal and state facility is underway to prepare the site for utilities.