Tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon, federal officials will answer a wish many of us have made while stuck in line at the border. Customs and Border Protection officials will open four more lanes to vehicle traffic at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. KPBS Reporter Amy Isackson has details.
This is a test. I repeat, only a test.
This Sunday federal officials will open four lanes at Otay Mesa's commercial crossing to passenger cars. The lanes will be open from five to eight p-m.
The experiment aims to relieve some of the Sunday afternoon congestion at the San Diego-Tijuana border crossings.
Alejandra Mier y Teran directs Otay Mesa's Chamber of Commerce. She says the concept of using existing infrastructure came up at a local border planning meeting.
Mier y Teran: It's very creative and I guess the right question is why we didn't think of it before?
The commercial port closes at three on Sundays. The lanes normally sit empty.
Customs and Border Protection officials tried the experiment one Sunday last May.
However, just 300 cars took advantage of the extra lanes.
Drivers were apparently leary of Tijuana police officers directing them out of the passenger lines to the commercial crossing.
Amy Isackson, KPBS news.
