SAN DIEGO – The new freeway connector between State Route 125 and State Route 905 is now complete after years of planning and construction.  

The new bridge was created to help easily connect East County to the border region, previously a difficult task.

“People had to exit and use Otay Mesa Road for about a mile and a half – through several major intersections and five traffic lights. Now we will provide that direct connection from east San Diego and east Chula Vista to our binational border region,” said Nick Buenviaje with the California Department of Transportation.

This bridge was the final step for the new Otay Mesa East Port of Entry to start construction. The new port of entry is scheduled to break ground next month and be completed by 2024.  

“It reduces the gas emissions, it facilities the movement of traffic, it reduces congestion, it saves time to people,” said Maria Rodriguez Molina with SANDAG.

The project was a major collaboration between SANDAG and CALTRANS for the past 20 years, officials said.

“For the last couple decades, we have been developing the border infrastructure, that is State Route 905, 125, and 11 and with the completion of this connector from south 125 to west 905, we are essentially done with the roadway network and ready to start the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry,” Rodriguez said.  

Rodriguez says the new port of entry is expected to reduce wait times for travelers and will be capable of getting vehicles across the border in 20 minutes.   

She said the new border crossing will also provide real-time updates on expected wait times.

“Later this year we expect to launch our border wait time system to provide travelers from both sides of the border with accurate information and manage our border as one system,” said Buenviaje.