SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Avenida Internacional, which parallels the border and is one of the major roadways for traffic to and from the San Ysidro Ysidro Port of Entry, has become a one-way street.
The alteration in the traffic pattern is necessary to accommodate the construction of a viaduct above the existing Avenida Internacional.
“We’ve started already, some roadway segments have been partially closed, it will all be done in stages,” Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero said.
When asked by reporters about the new flow of traffic, Caballero said it will likely remain one-directional for up to “six months.”
The two lanes of travel that will be available during the construction will both run west away from the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
The detour will be lined with signs and barriers to guide drivers through the area and with flag-waving workers alerting motorists they are entering a construction zone.
Large equipment and heavy machinery is also visible in the area.
Work on the pillars that will support the viaduct should start any day, said Juan Enrique Bautista, secretary of urban and environmental development for the city of Tijuana.
“The local government is in talks with Army contractors to begin the foundations for the support columns,” he said. “We’re asking for support from the public to drive carefully in the area and to take their time when leaving their homes so they can get to their destinations on time.”
Bautista admitted there will be heavy congestion in the area but not as much as when Avenida Internacional was in the process of being widened more than 10 years ago.
When completed, the viaduct will be about 7 miles long and connect the beach communities to the Tijuana airport on the east side of the city, with the San Ysidro Port of Entry in between.
This elevated highway will also run through several tunnels along the way.
The budget for the project is 10 billion pesos or about $562 million, it is expected to be done in two years.
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