SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spent his Friday morning in the San Diego area to deliver a $150 million grant for the new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry now under construction.
The facility is scheduled to be completed by September 2024.
It will include 10 lanes of traffic to be shared by both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks.
“Safe, secure and high-tech border crossings are a vital part of our transportation system,” said Buttigieg. “We’re investing in land ports of entry, ensuring safety and securing a stronger supply chain and that’s especially true in this region, one of the nation’s busiest and most economically and significant land ports.”
Buttigieg said the money will be well spent.
“It will bring a new inspection facility, 10 lanes for incoming vehicles, state-of-the-art inspection equipment, chargers for no-emission staff vehicles and state-of-the-art technology designed to make the entire operation safer and more efficient,” he said.
After a brief news conference to announce the funding, he toured a nearby California Highway Patrol truck inspection facility.
“You see what these inspectors do, 37 items they’re checking every time they’re looking at a truck to make sure it’s going to be safe, not just here along the border, but wherever it’s going in the United States,” Buttigieg said.
In all, Buttigieg’s visit to Otay Mesa lasted about 90 minutes.
When complete, the port of entry will charge a toll for commuters in both directions.
Proceeds will be shared between California transportation agencies and the Mexican government.