U.S. General Services Administration
GSA Opens San Ysidro LPOE’s New Pedestrian-processing Facility
Every day, over 20 thousand pedestrians cross the border into the U.S. at our San Ysidro Land Port of Entry (LPOE), often waiting in line up to two or three hours. Last week, GSA took a big step in helping to improve the traveling experience while also providing new state-of-the-art facilities on the east side of the port.
On August 15, local dignitaries, elected officials and community stakeholders from both the U.S. and Mexico gathered at the port to celebrate the latest milestone in GSA’s $741 million expansion and modernization project at the San Ysidro LPOE -- the opening of a new northbound pedestrian-processing facility -- known as PedEast.
“The completion of PedEast marks an important construction milestone by providing modernized infrastructure at the San Ysidro port within budget and on schedule,” said GSA’s Acting Pacific Rim Regional Administrator and event emcee Dan Brown.
With 22 pedestrian booths, PedEast significantly increases CBP’s ability to process cross-border travelers and represents the largest pedestrian expansion at the San Ysidro port since the 1970s. Together with its 14 lane sister facility on the west side of the port (PedWest), San Ysidro LPOE now has 36 inspection booths available for CBP’s use in pedestrian-processing operations.
During the ceremony, U.S. Representatives Juan Vargas and Scott Peters presented a Congressional proclamation from the San Diego delegation to GSA for its unwavering efforts to modernize and expand the San Ysidro LPOE. The proclamation stated, “GSA’s goal and approach for PedEast was not only to design a more effective border crossing experience for the public but also to construct a facility that is sustainable.” It also said, “To better meet the needs of the tenant agencies and the traveling public, GSA successfully accommodated the needs of all parties involved taking into consideration border security, innovation, and commerce through the completion of the PedEast project.”
In addition to Congressmen Vargas and Peters, other speakers at the event included: Baja California Lt. Gov. Francisco Rueda Gomez; San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer; Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum Buenrostro; GSA’s PBS Deputy Commissioner Michael Gelber; Pacific Rim Acting Regional Administrator Dan Brown; Consul General Sue Saarnio - U.S. Consulate in Tijuana, and, CBP’s San Diego Director of Field Operations Pete Flores.
CBP also expressed its appreciation for the new facility. “Our staff is ecstatic” said Assistant Port Director Sally Carrillo. “This by far is the most prestigious, up-to-date facility that I’ve seen in 30 years.”
Shortly after the ceremony concluded, uniformed officers swung open the three, floor-to-ceiling entry doors to the new 100,000-square foot facility, allowing the first wave of pedestrians to enter PedEast for the very first time.
“It was exciting to see pedestrians moving through the new PedEast building,” said GSA Communications Specialist Javier Fernandez. “I had an opportunity to talk to a few of them about their initial impressions and it was clear from their comments that they were thrilled to have modernized crossing facilities on both the east and west sides of the port. Daily travelers, especially, expressed optimism that the new facility would deliver reduced border wait times.”
With its shaded pedestrian walkway, expanded pedestrian-processing capacity and close proximity to the San Ysidro bus and trolley station, PedEast presents an attractive pedestrian crossing option for the region.