Largest US pedestrian border crossing opens in California

by Rafael Bernal - 08/15/18 3:51 PM ET

Border authorities cut the ribbon on a 22-lane pedestrian crossing at the U.S.-Mexico border on Wednesday, expanding the world’s largest land port of entry at San Ysidro, Calif.

The new facility, known as PedEast, was opened by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, according to local reports.

The facility is designed to allow 20,000 pedestrians to cross daily from Tijuana, Mexico, into San Diego.

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According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, roughly 8.3 million pedestrians crossed the border at San Ysidro in 2017, and 4.4 million have crossed so far in 2018.

“The opening of PedEast brings us one step closer to fully realizing the economic potential of reduced wait times at the busiest land port of entry in the Western Hemisphere,” Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) said in a statement.

“I look forward to the benefits of improving our border, including strengthening our national security, reducing the Port’s carbon footprint, and facilitating economic growth for California and the entire nation.”

Vargas attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for PedEast. His district covers the entirety of the California-Mexico border.

The new facility complements PedWest, a 14-lane pedestrian crossing at San Ysidro that was opened in 2016.

Both facilities are part of a $741 million project to expand the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry, scheduled to be completed in 2019.

Vargas, along with other lawmakers from the San Diego region, has lobbied for expansion of the busy border crossing, as many communities in the region depend economically on cross-border trade.

“Together, Reps. [Susan] Davis, [Duncan] Hunter, [Darrell] Issa, [Scott] Peters and I — as the San Diego Delegation — worked together and made a case for funding this project. We collectively convinced our colleagues on both sides of the aisle of the benefits of this project,” said Vargas. “When we invest in our infrastructure, we are making long-term investments in our community.”

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