Otay Mesa, Detroit crossings advance

The U.S. Transportation Department said Thursday it signed an agreement with the California Department of Transportation to build a new border crossing at Otay Mesa near San Diego to accommodate increased U.S.-Mexico traffic.

   The project will consist of a new Otay Mesa East port of entry, located two miles east of the existing Otay Mesa entry point, and a new 2.7-mile, four-lane highway, State Route 11, linking the port of entry to the existing California highway system, DOT said.

   “This project will reduce traffic congestion and frequent wait times that are sometimes more than four hours for commercial truckers coming into southern California,” the DOT said in a statement. “It will also provide a seamless connection from SR-11 to the Tijuana Rosarito Corridor and Tijuana-Tecate and Tijuana-Ensenada toll roads in Baja California, Mexico.”

   On Wednesday, the DOT said it has released the environmental approvals for plans to build a second border crossing between Michigan and Ontario. The “record of decision” represents the Detroit River International Crossing’s final environmental clearance and allows Michigan to begin right-of-way acquisition and construction planning for the bridge.

   If completed, the project, which includes a plaza where tolls and U.S. border inspection activities will occur, and an interchange connecting it to Interstate 75, would span about seven miles. “Under current estimates, the new crossing is expected to be open to traffic in 2013,” the DOT said.

Source: American Shipper