Mexican President Promises to Address Border Crossing Delays by Year’s End
TIJUANA — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has promised to resolve the ongoing delays at the border crossing from San Diego to Tijuana by the end of the year. The progress comes after concerns were raised during the president’s visit to the region last Friday.
Within 24 hours of the president’s promise, the head of the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM), André Foullon, arrived in Tijuana to address the media and outline plans to alleviate traffic at the El Chaparral vehicular intersection.
Foullon announced the release of 21 lanes at the El Chaparral intersection by orders of the president to alleviate traffic during peak hours. Furthermore, efforts are already underway to demolish an old disused screening area at the Mexican customs El Chaparral to make more space for vehicles crossing the border. The demolition is expected to be completed by Monday afternoon.
However, authorities cautioned that opening all lanes will not be the only solution to the traffic issues. Lieutenant Colonel Alejandro Eugenio Robles, the administrator of the Tijuana Customs, emphasized that while the lanes are being opened, traffic flow may remain the same due to other factors such as the partial closure of main roads and ongoing construction works in the area.
Amidst the ongoing efforts, the government of Mexico is also carrying out a modernization project at the Tijuana customs, which includes the incorporation of non-intrusive inspection technology, the improvement of infrastructure, and the review of administrative and operational procedures.
Additionally, plans for the construction of a second border port in Otay Mesa, known as Otay II, are in progress. However, US authorities have faced some delays, pushing the estimated completion date of the border port to 2026. Unlike other checkpoints, Otay II will be tolled, guaranteeing a much shorter waiting time for both commercial vehicles and trucks.
Mexican authorities hope that with these initiatives, the traffic congestion issues at the San Diego-Tijuana border crossing can be alleviated, promising a significant improvement for those traveling between the two cities once the projects are completed.