On April 15 the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry east pedestrian walkway opened. The pedestrian plaza is the last major work item of phase 2 out of three phases, part of a master project plan. The new walkway into Mexico is at the end of the UC-San Diego blue line southbound trolley that ends in San Ysidro. The walkway into Mexico is just southeast of the PedEast facility.
“The cost to create a new pedestrian plaza on the east side of the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry is within the total phase 2 budget of $216 million,” said Anthony Kleppe, Region 9 Land/Port of Entry program manager with the U.S. General Services Administration. “That includes the new PedEast building, covered pathway, new pedestrian plaza, and complete renovation and expansion of the existing historic Custom House.”
Kleppe explained the over-all design concept.
“The new southbound pedestrian plaza was constructed with concrete walkways and features louvered fencing, stone benches and landscaping,” said Kleppe. “As pedestrians walk south toward Mexico, they will enter that plaza that has stairs and ramps. This summer, an art piece will be unveiled as a plaza focal point.”
According to Kleppe the phase 2 project was master-planned by The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP as part of the full San Ysidro Port of Entry campus. Phase 2 was awarded as a design build project to Hensel Phelps Construction; Stantec completed the final design through construction documents.
“This was funded through the Congressional Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2015,” said Kleppe.
Opinions on the design varied when queried at the border walkway.
“This is better – the plants, the arches – everything,” said Walter Altemire of Tijuana.
“The arches are part of an art installation by artist Norie Sato,” said Kleppe.
“It’s very beautiful, very nice,” said Angelica Vega of San Ysidro.
“It’s worse for me — I have to escort clients over there (to Mexico) and it’s harder,” said Emmanuel Villavicencio of Tijuana. “I go back and forth 20 to 25 times a day, five days a week. It will be harder for the older people even with the ramp.” Villavicencio escorts shoppers to Tijuana.
“It looks like a prison, it’s like a jail,” said Thomas Kensig.
In a previous version of this story Anthony Kleppe’s name was misspelled as Anthony Klepper. Also, Hull Partnership, LLC was incorrectly referred to as Miller Hull and Associates. The Star-News regrets the error.
