SAN YSIDRO (CNS) - All 24 lanes at the San Ysidro port of entry were open Sunday, as federal investigators continued to probe the reason why scaffolding and part of a recently-poured concrete floor fell onto cars at the busiest border crossing in the world.
Customs and Border Patrol officials said they would continue to allow all vehicles to use truck lanes on an emergency basis at the Otay Mesa border station, and would keep the Tecate port open past its regular closing hour as motorists adjust to the normalized traffic flow at San Ysidro.
Otay Mesa and Tecate will return to normal operations at 11:59 p.m. Sunday night, said CBP spokeswoman Jackie Wasiluk. The final emergency construction work at San Ysidro was completed at 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
The entire tumult began at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday when scaffolds holding a new cement deck collapsed just north of the main inspection gates. The northbound lanes were blocked for a half day, creating chaos on Tijuana streets.
The eastern-most lanes at San Ysidro were reopened to northbound traffic Wednesday night, partly easing the crush of vehicles going through the other two stations. The government used a new double gate system -- allowing two cars into the inspection area at the same time -- in an effort to keep 24 inspectors on the line at all times.
The San Ysidro gate is being rebuilt and expanded in a multi-year project.
Updated travel information, including estimated wait times, is available for the Ports of Entry by calling (619) 690-8999 for San Ysidro, or (619) 671-8999 for Otay Mesa.
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THE PREVIOUS STORY BELOW.
SAN YSIDRO (CNS) - Additional northbound lanes at the San Ysidro border crossing reopened Saturday following a scaffolding collapse which left several people injured, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
As of 2 p.m., officials have 20 vehicle lanes available, as well as one lane for processing bus traffic, according to CBP spokeswoman Jackie Wasiluk.
Some of the lanes have stacked booths, or two primary inspection booths one traffic lane.
CBP officials expect U.S. General Services and construction crews to have the remaining three lanes available again Sunday, Wasiluk said.
A section of scaffolding collapsed Wednesday morning on the Mexico side which injured several people and closed northbound lanes. Border-crossers were detoured to the Otay Mesa and Tecate ports of entry.
Vehicles can still cross at the Otay Mesa or Tecate ports of entry, Wasiluk said. The Tecate Port of Entry will be open 24 hours until 11:59 p.m. Sunday and the Otay Mesa cargo facility, which CBP will continue to use to process evening traffic and travelers, will be open from 5 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m.
Sunday and again from 5 p.m. until 11:59 Sunday night to help alleviate possible traffic congestion from the Mexican Independence holiday.
"We are working around the clock and doing everything possible to ease the challenges travelers are facing as a result of the construction incident at San Ysidro," said CBP Commissioner Alan D. Bersin.
Officers will continue to remain vigilant as lanes reopen to stop any attempts at illegal activity, Wasiluk said.
Travelers can get updated information about border wait times by calling (619) 690-8999 for the San Ysidro border crossing, or (619) 671-8999 for the Otay Mesa border crossing.
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THE PREVIOUS STORY BELOW.
SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Sometime Saturday morning, all traffic lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry are expected to be open to the traveling public again, ending several days of closures and delays caused by a major structural collapse at the sprawling border-crossing facility between San Diego and Tijuana.
Late Wednesday morning, a 50- by 50-foot section of wooden platform gave way and fell onto vehicles entering the United States through a construction zone at the bustling station, the world's busiest land border port.
Debris, including support beams and pieces of concrete, fell onto 15 vehicles, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. Eight people were able to free themselves from the damaged autos and structural wreckage, and emergency crews extricated three others, SDFRD spokesman Maurice Luque said.
Medics evaluated a total of two dozen motorists and renovation workers at the scene for possible minor injuries, including respiratory irritation from breathing dust kicked up by the collapse.
Nearly half of those people were taken to hospitals in San Diego and the South Bay. Among the patients were a pregnant woman who suffered apparently superficial injuries and four construction workers, one with serious but non-life-threatening trauma, Luque said.
Federal officials shut down the facility to all northbound travelers until early that evening, when Customs personnel began processing pedestrian traffic again. During the closure, border-crossers were directed to use the Otay Mesa and Tecate ports of entry.
Southbound lanes into Mexico at Interstates 5 and 805 remained open.
Early Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reopened 14 of the 24 northbound lanes, including one designated for buses, agency spokeswoman Jackie Wasiluk said.
It was unclear precisely when the remainder of the vehicular entryways will open, though all were expected to be back in operation by midday Saturday, officials said.
Federal engineers are working to determine the cause of the collapse at the border station, which is in the midst of a major renovation and upgrade project.
