A busy border crossing shut down for a week by the Harris Fire reopens today. Passenger vehicle and pedestrian traffic at the Tecate port of entry is set to resume at 5 a.m., according to Caltrans and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. But only some roads will be accessible to the border, and cargo traffic will continue to be diverted.
``Our top priority is to make sure the road is safe for the public, and we are still working on portions of Route 94,'' said Caltrans district director Pedro Orso-Delgado. ``That's why motorists coming across the border at this time will only have access to Route 188 and eastbound Route 94 to Interstate 8.''
Approximately 2,500 vehicles and 7,000 pedestrians pass through the eastern San Diego County border facility daily between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Cargo trucks will continue to be directed to the Otay Mesa or Calexico port of entries instead of Tecate due to safety concerns, authorities said.
``We have worked closely with local and state officials who monitor the safety of the roadways leading to the port on the U.S. side,'' said Gurdit Dhillon, director of field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in San Diego.
``We wanted to be sure the fires have abated and that the roads are safe for use by the traveling public and our employees before we open the port.''
