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Border & Immigration

'Carmaggeddon' Expected As Southbound San Ysidro Border Closes For The Weekend

Traffic to enter Mexico extends for more than a mile at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, May 9, 2017.
Jean Guerrero
Traffic to enter Mexico extends for more than a mile at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, May 9, 2017.

A major construction project at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, considered the busiest border crossing in the world, will bar cars from entering Tijuana for 57 hours starting Saturday.

RELATED: Carmegeddon At The Border Starts Saturday

The southbound lane closure on Interstate 5 and I-805, just south of State Route 905, will last from Sept. 23 at 3 a.m. until noon on Sept. 25, and is expected to affect tens of thousands of people who commute across the border on a regular basis.

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The closure is part of the U.S. General Services Administration's plan to double the number of southbound lanes — from five to 10 — that go into El Chaparral in Tijuana. Those who still need to travel into Mexico will be detoured to the Otay Mesa Land Port.

RELATED: What Will The 57-Hour Closure Of San Ysidro Border Crossing Mean For San Diego Traffic?

Those traveling northbound from Tijuana into San Diego will not be affected, but the project will also involve adding eight more northbound vehicle inspection lanes and 15 more inspection booths at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.

The lane-expansion project is estimated to cost $741 million and is expected to be completed in 2019.