Construction to Close 905 Southbound into Mexico for Two Nights March 11-12; Construction Planned from February 22 - March 27

SAN DIEGO — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are notifying travelers of closures due to construction that may affect border crossers planning to use the Otay Mesa border crossing into Mexico during the month of March. 

CBP began construction last week to install a new truss system above the southbound vehicles lanes at the Otay Mesa border crossing that will support signage and technology at the border crossing.  The truss system will be located along State Route 905 south, past the last exit in the U.S. and before the international border with Mexico.

Beginning this week, construction will be taking place only during the overnight hours, from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m., beginning each week at 9 p.m. on Sunday evening, and finishing 6 a.m. Friday morning. 

For northbound traffic entering the United States at the Otay Mesa border crossing, there will be no impact to travelers.  Construction will be limited near the northbound vehicle lanes to the first weeks of the project, and will take place in lanes that would normally be closed anyway during overnight hours due to low traffic volumes.

For southbound travelers crossing in vehicles into Mexico along the SR905 south at the Otay Mesa border crossing, although construction may require partial lane closures southbound some evenings, those partial closures should not impede southbound traffic. 

There will be no full closures of the southbound vehicle lanes, with the exception of March 11 through March 13.  From 9 p.m. March 11 until 6 a.m. March 12 and again from 9 p.m. March 12 until 6 a.m. March 13, all vehicle lanes will be closed to southbound traffic heading into Mexico at the Otay Mesa border crossing at the southbound SR905.  On those evenings, travelers into Mexico will need to use the San Ysidro or Tecate border crossings.  The last U.S. exit along the SR905 south will not be impacted and will remain open.

Pedestrians should not be impacted by the construction.  Construction will not take place in any areas near northbound pedestrians.  For southbound pedestrians, although construction will take place along the sidewalk adjacent to SR905 South that leads to the pedestrian turnstile into Mexico, there will be no closure of the sidewalk.  The pedestrian bridge that crosses the SR905 south from the east side of the border crossing to the turnstiles into Mexico on the west side of the border crossing will not be impacted by construction.

CBP has been working with CALTRANS to place electronic signs notifying travelers of the full vehicle lane closure, and has worked with the companies completing construction to try and minimize the impact to travelers however possible.  CBP officials are working closely with the construction team to ensure that the construction does not impact northbound vehicle traffic and processing at the port of entry. 

All construction is expected to be completed by March 27.

Main dates and times:

Overnight construction takes place on the southbound SR905 at the Otay Mesa border crossing each evening from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m., beginning on Sunday, February 22 and ending at 6 a.m. on Friday, March 27.  (There is no construction over the weekend; construction stops each week at 6 a.m. on Friday and resumes at 9 p.m. on Sunday.)  Possible partial vehicle lane closures should not impact traffic.  There will be no impact to northbound traffic.

Full lanes closures take place on the southbound SR905 at the Otay Mesa border crossing from 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 11 until 6 a.m. Thursday, March 12 and again from 9 p.m. Thursday, March 12 until 6 a.m. Wednesday, March 13.  Travelers heading into Mexico should use the San Ysidro or Tecate border crossings. There will be no impact to northbound traffic.