Tijuana’s city government has proposed a toll of 71 pesos (roughly $4 USD) for vehicles using the future Otay Mesa East port of entry, a long-awaited border crossing that officials say could begin partial operations by late 2025. The toll would apply to private vehicles crossing into the United States through what is being marketed as a faster, less congested alternative to Tijuana’s existing ports of entry.
Otay Mesa East Has Been Planned for Over Two Decades
The Otay Mesa East project, also called Otay II or the Mesa de Otay East crossing, has been in various stages of planning since the early 2000s. The bilateral project involves both U.S. and Mexican federal agencies, along with California and Baja California state governments. On the U.S. side, the General Services Administration broke ground on the facility in San Diego County in 2024. On the Mexican side, construction has advanced on connecting roads and inspection infrastructure east of the existing Otay Mesa crossing.
The project aims to relieve pressure on Tijuana’s three current border crossings: San Ysidro (the world’s busiest land port), Otay Mesa (primarily commercial), and Cross Border Xpress (pedestrian access to Tijuana’s airport). Wait times at San Ysidro regularly exceed two hours during peak periods. The Otay Mesa commercial crossing can see delays of three hours or more for trucks.
Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz presented the proposed toll structure during a recent session with city officials. The 71 peso figure would cover passenger vehicles only. Commercial truck tolls and pedestrian fees, if any, were not detailed in the announcement. Burgueño described the crossing as a tool to reduce congestion across the metropolitan area and attract economic development to Tijuana’s eastern zones.
The toll revenue would help fund road maintenance and infrastructure around the new port. Tijuana’s municipal government has invested in extending Boulevard Industrial toward the crossing site, a corridor that runs through industrial parks and maquiladora zones east of the city center. The state government of Baja California, led by Governor Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda, has also allocated funds for connecting highways.
Toll Would Be Among the Lowest Border Crossing Fees in the Region
At approximately $4 USD, the proposed Otay Mesa East toll would fall below what drivers currently pay at some existing crossings. The Sentri lane at San Ysidro charges no toll, but requires a $25 annual card renewal from U.S. Customs and Border Protection plus an initial application fee of $122.25. Standard Ready Lane crossings at San Ysidro are free but come with long waits that cost commuters hours each week.
Cross Border Xpress, the pedestrian bridge connecting Tijuana’s airport to San Diego, charges around $16 USD per crossing. So a 71 peso vehicle toll at Otay Mesa East is relatively modest by regional standards. The question for daily commuters is whether the time savings justify the cost. Tijuana estimates that roughly 50,000 people cross the border northbound each day through its existing ports. Even capturing a fraction of that traffic could generate significant toll revenue.
The proposed crossing would be located approximately 10 kilometers east of the current Otay Mesa port. For residents of eastern Tijuana colonias like Mariano Matamoros, Valle de las Palmas, and the growing communities along the Tecate highway corridor, Otay Mesa East could cut commute times significantly. These areas have seen rapid residential growth over the past decade as housing prices in central Tijuana have climbed.
U.S. Side Infrastructure Nearing Completion in 2025
On the American side, the new port of entry is being built on a 127 acre site in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego. The U.S. facility is designed to process both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks, with plans for northbound and southbound inspection booths. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has described the project as critical for reducing commercial wait times that cost billions in lost productivity annually along the California border.
The project’s total cost on both sides of the border exceeds $1 billion USD. California’s transportation agency, Caltrans, has been building connector roads to State Route 11, a highway constructed specifically to serve the new port. That highway connects to State Route 905 and Interstate 805, giving drivers a direct route into San Diego’s freeway network.
For anyone who crosses regularly between Tijuana and San Diego, the new port represents the first major addition to border crossing infrastructure in the region since Cross Border Xpress opened in 2015. The exact opening date remains uncertain, though both Mexican and U.S. officials have pointed to late 2025 or early 2026 for initial operations.
Tijuana’s city council must still approve the 71 peso toll before it takes effect. A vote is expected in the coming months as both countries finalize operational timelines, as reported by El Imparcial.