The Otay Mesa Port of Entry will return to its normal 24-hour schedule this weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced.
The change, which will begin at 6 a.m. Saturday, comes a month and a half after the federal agency reduced the hours of operation at the border crossing because of a decrease in northbound traffic after coronavirus-related travel restrictions were imposed.
The new schedule will affect the passenger portion of the port of entry; there are no changes to the cargo/commercial facility hours, authorities said. Vehicle lanes for SENTRI users will be open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“Previously, CBP scaled staffing as traffic volumes decreased drastically at the Otay Mesa border crossing because of COVID-19 and the travel restrictions,” Pete Flores, CBP director of field operations for San Diego, said in a statement.
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“We continued to monitor traffic volumes and are now proactively increasing the hours of operation at Otay Mesa even though the travel restrictions remain.”
On May 3, CBP scaled back hours of operation at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. after officials saw a 44 percent decrease in vehicle traffic and a 68 percent decrease in pedestrians.
The reduction in hours at the Otay Mesa crossing concentrated overnight traffic at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, which has been operating with fewer lanes for several weeks now.
Many cross-border workers who couldn’t risk being late to work in the U.S. adopted a routine of sleeping in their vehicles at the Otay Mesa crossing in order to be among the first to cross when the port opened in the morning.
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U.S. officials emphasize that despite the 24-hour schedule, restrictions on nonessential travel remain in effect.
Northbound crossings remain open for U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, people with work visas, and those traveling for education or medical reasons, among other essential purposes. Recreational and tourist travel is not allowed.
This week, Mexico and the United States agreed to extend the travel restrictions through July 21 after reviewing the spread of COVID-19 cases in both countries.
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June 19, 2020 at 10:28AM
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Otay Mesa border crossing returns to normal 24-hour schedule - The San Diego Union-Tribune
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