The California Department of Tranportation and its regional partners cordially invite you to mark the completion of the State Route 905/Interstate 805 Interchange Project. This Thrusday, February 16 at 1 P.M. on Caliente Avenue. For more information please contact the Caltrans Public Information Office at (619)688-6670.
Plans Under Way for Innovative Bus Rapid Transit System in Otay Mesa
April 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Plans Under Way for Innovative Bus Rapid Transit System in Otay Mesa
A modern regional transit system that will provide an alternative to personal cars will soon come online in the eastern part of the South Bay, providing residents with rapid and reliable access to work and activity centers in a region of San Diego County currently underserved by public transportation.
The South Bay Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will provide high-frequency transit service that links the Otay Mesa border crossing to downtown San Diego via eastern Chula Vista. It will serve major activity and employment centers in San Diego and the South Bay and provide direct access to destinations such as the Otay Ranch Town Center.
The South Bay BRT project is being planned and built by the San Diego Association of Governments. It will be paid for by TransNet, a regional voter-approved half-cent sales tax for local transportation. The Metropolitan Transit System will operate South Bay BRT when it goes into service in 2014.
Stations along the 21-mile route will be enhanced with upgraded shelters and platforms to ease boarding. They also will feature real-time “next-bus” signs. Catering to today’s digitally connected commuters, buses may also offer Wi-Fi Internet services.
Cutting-edge “smart card” technology will expedite fare collection on South Bay BRT. The reloadable Compass Card replaces paper tickets for most riders by allowing them to electronically store transit passes, then use a pass by tapping the card on a specially designed validator or farebox.
Modern, comfortable vehicles will utilize dedicated transit-only lanes, allowing them to avoid traffic congestion. The route will have a minimum number of stops, decreasing travel times. Service along the South Bay BRT corridor will be provided every 10-15 minutes with the quality and reliability of light rail.
The South Bay BRT will follow a long-planned transit route. Vehicles will travel north on State Route 125 from the Otay Mesa border crossing, then west through eastern Chula Vista, head north on Interstate 805 and then go west on State Route 94 to downtown.
“The South Bay BRT will introduce regional transit service to the eastern part of South Bay, where none now exists,” said Jennifer Williamson, SANDAG project manager. “It will help alleviate traffic congestion in the growing region and streamline the commute from the Otay Mesa border crossing to downtown.”
Completion State Route 905/Interstate 805 Ceremony
April 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The California Department of Transpotation and its regional partners cordially invite you to mark the completion of the State Route 905/Intersate 805 Interchange Project. Thrusday, February 16 at 1 P.M. on Caliente Avenue. For more information please contact the Caltrans Public Information office at 619-688-6670.
To learn more about this project Click here
Draft Otay Mesa Community Plan Unveiled
April 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The City of San Diego published today the latest version of the much anticipated Otay Mesa Community Plan Update, a project that the Chamber has been following for ten years. The Chamber has advocated for avoiding co-locating residential developments along truck routes and industrial communities. We are pleased to see that the City of San Diego is no longer proposing a residential development in the corner of La Media Road and Airway, among other improvements. You can see the latest verion at the City’s website.
Cross Border Facility Receives Presidential Permit – August 2010
December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The San Diego –Tijuana Airport Cross-Border Facility (CBF) reached a milestone in August when it received a Presidential Permit from the U.S. Department of State.. The permit, one of the quickest ever issued by the U.S. government, culminates the project’s careful review by many federal and state agencies and signifies that the project is deemed to be in the national interest. The CBF is unique among U.S. border crossing owning to its sponsorship in the U.S. and Mexico by a single bi-national ownership team, Otay – Tijuana Venture LLC.
In September 2009, CBF ownership submitted an extensive application to the State Department, which led the review of the project by some twenty federal and state agencies, including:
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Border Patrol
- Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Department of Interior
As outlined in the Presidential Permit application, the CBF will serve the more than 2 million Tijuana International Airport passengers, who as part of their journey travel across the U.S./Mexico Border. The CBF will provide a convenient alternative for these travelers, enabling them to avoid other, often-congested border crossings.
The San Diego-Tijuana Airport Cross-Border Facility will be an elevated pedestrian bridge that directly connects a new facility in Southern San Diego County to the Tijuana Airport (TIJ) terminal to provide fast, safe and secure egress across the border for Tijuana Airline-ticketed passengers
The estimated cost for the first phase of construction is $77.9 million, including land acquisition. Construction on the CBF is expected to begin in late 2011, with completion slated by the end of 2012. The project still has a significant number of steps and approvals to clear before a shovel hits the ground.
“The cross border facility is a complex project,” commented Greg Rose, a representative of CBF ownership. “We still have a significant amount of heavy lifting to do. We are coordinating closely with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection on the facility’s design and other requirements, and we are working closely with the City of San Diego on local approvals that are critical for the project to move forward.
“The CBF has enjoyed tremendous support from all of the regional agencies on both sides of the border. It’s potential as a strong economic engine for the region is well recognized.”
Faster, more predictable border crossings will reduce the economic impact of delays, which cost California $3.9 billion in 2007, according to SANDAG. The CBF will serve as an economic engine for Otay Mesa and the South County, generating a direct economic impact estimated at more than $22 million per year, according to a San Diego County Regional Airport Authority study.
Rose added, “The Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce has been a strong advocate of the project, and we appreciate the continued support of the Chamber as we take the next steps ”.
Updates on our New Port of Entry: Otay II
December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A new port of entry is being developed in Otay Mesa just a couple of miles east of the existing Otay Mesa Port of Entry. This project also includes a new highway connection -State Route 11-which will connect to State Route-905. The new port will be managed by a toll system and will include expedited services in both the commercial and passenger lanes. This innovative project supported by the entire region should be operational by 2015.
CALTRANS has recently released the draft environmental document for State Route 11/Otay II Port of Entry.
SR-905 Now Open!
December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A major milestone was accomplished in late 2010. Phase 1A of State Route 905 was opened the first week of December. This phase entails a six lane freeway from Britannia to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
State Route-905 Opening Ceremony (Phase 1A)
The Otay Mesa Chamber of Commerce has been working for more than twenty years on this project and is very pleased to annouce that the core 905 project -six lanes from the 805 to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry- will be open in summer 2012. State Route-905 is the first freeway connecting the Otay Mesa community, which represents California’s largest land port of entry, to the San Diego freeway network.
