A coalition of more than a 1,000 businesses and community groups in San Ysidro unveiled their proposal Monday for the development of the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry.
San Ysidro is the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. Nearly 50,000 vehicles and 25,000 pedestrians cross from Tijuana to the U.S. every day.
Some improvements to the infrastructure of the port are already underway. The U.S General Services Administration has approved funding for the second and third phases of border expansion. The San Ysidro Smart Border Coalition hopes their proposal will be included in the project.
Jason Wells of the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce, which is part of the coalition, says the proposed plan accommodates more vehicles and allows for more parking at the new port of entry.
“What’s not been taken care of are the 1,000 parking spaces deficit that phase three will cause,” Wells said.
The coalition’s proposed facility also includes restaurants, event space, and keeping the existing Duty Free Americas shop.
David Aguilar is a former chief of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. His company, Global Security and Intelligence Strategies, consulted with the coalition on the issue of security.
“What we are proposing here is to institute this facility that will insure the capabilities — such as cameras, observation towers, technology, sensors — are applied in such a fashion that it will give situational awareness as it doesn’t exist today,” Aguilar said.
The coalition estimates their proposed development would cost $30 million to $50 million.
