Third Border Crossing for Baja?
S.D. leaders get vow of help on key permit
By Dana Wilkie
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
October 3, 2007
WASHINGTON – State Department officials have told San Diego leaders they will try to accelerate the “presidential permit” necessary to build a third border crossing into Tijuana – with approval perhaps before next summer, San Diego officials said yesterday.
The permit – a joint approval from President Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderón – is an essential prerequisite for building a new port of entry and a four-lane freeway in East Otay Mesa to relieve traffic congestion at the existing San Ysidro and Otay Mesa border crossings.
“We've got a commitment they're going to work with us to process a permit to approve a third border crossing by early next year,” said San Diego Association of Governments executive director Gary Gallegos, who is in Washington with local business and political leaders pressing for federal assistance for San Diego projects.
While this approval does not ensure the crossing will be built – the plan still lacks funding and is still under review – officials said it would grease the skids for eventual construction.
San Diego City Councilman Jim Madaffer, chairman of SANDAG's transportation committee, said a top State Department official gave the delegation “a very solid assurance that we are moving in the right direction to get a permit much sooner” than expected – probably in the first half of 2008.
“I would have been happy if it was the end of 2008,” Madaffer said. “The most important piece in all of this is the presidential permit, because that's the document that states that all the federal agencies are on the same page to build this third border crossing.”