Speed up border crossings, binational leaders say

Delays costing region 51,570 jobs, $5.1 billion
By Sandra Dibble
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

February 9, 2008

A second border crossing at Otay Mesa and longer-term improvements at the San Ysdiro and downtown Calexico ports are crucial to the region's economy, business and political leaders from the United States and Mexico said yesterday.

But they said immediate measures must be taken to reduce congestion at California-Mexico crossings.

Seeking input from the private and public sectors, organizers of the United States-Mexico Border Efficiency Conference plan to present proposals for improving the region's crossings to federal officials from both countries.

“We intend to be loud,” said John McNeece, outgoing chairman of the Mexico Business Center of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, which organized the conference at the University of San Diego.

Border delays are costing the region billions of dollars, according to a study released last month by the San Diego Association of Governments that was commissioned by the California Department of Transportation. In 2007, the study calculated losses of $5.1 billion and 51,570 jobs for San Diego and Baja California.