Construction worker Brett Crews with Counts Construction, uses a bulldozer to grade the dirt around the future 7-Eleven convenience store Wednesday morning, September 8, 2021. The new 7-Eleven is under construction on the northeast corner of SW 49th Ave. and SW 95th Street in Ocala, FL next to Liberty Middle School. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2021 Oca So Development 091621
San Diego, California – Construction of the Highway 11 corridor, a key roadway linking a planned port of entry to San Diego, hit a major goal two years ago. But the good times didn’t last. Today, the Otay Mesa II border crossing is over two years behind schedule, causing substantial delays and inconvenience for local commuters and cross-border traffic.
Several factors have caused the delays, including financial issues, ongoing negotiations with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and design flaws in the original plans. As the Mexican government completed its side of the project on time, the U.S. has faced increasing pressure to meet its deadlines, but complications have led to continued holdups.
One of the biggest issues with the project’s timeline is the demolition of a quarter-mile stretch of Highway 11. Because of an updated configuration for the port of entry this part of the road is now totally obsolete, which means that all of the previous work has to be removed. According to Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation, this demolition is necessary to ensure the new facility’s construction proceeds as planned.
The original roadway construction, which included substantial concrete and rebar, is estimated to cost at least $10 million. The work to remove the obsolete stretch of road is estimated to cost around $4 million, part of a larger $13 million contract awarded to a contractor responsible for groundwork at the site. Caltrans has not provided specific details on the full extent of the demolition work. Still, it has confirmed that this is a critical step in facilitating the eventual construction of the new border crossing.
While the demolition work continues, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) reports that they’re hoping to begin construction of the Otay Mesa II border crossing in the fall of this year. However, uncertainty remains over the remaining work’s final cost, particularly the roadway’s new concrete.
According to a worker from RJ Willert, the subcontractor handling the demolition, who spoke to Border Report, explained that the project saves money by using a grinder to turn the rubble into a sandy material. Workers will use this material to level the ground and fill in holes, providing a more stable base for future construction.
As work continues on the delayed project, it remains unclear when the new border crossing will be fully operational, and how much longer the delays will impact local and international traffic.
