SAN DIEGO — After being closed for nearly three years, the Pedestrian West facility at the San Ysidro port of entry, known as PedWest, is finally re-open to foot traffic.
The San Ysidro Port of Entry is one of the world's busiest land-border crossings.
PedWest was shut down in the early part of the pandemic, although it was used briefly last April only to process Ukrainian asylum seekers.
When PedWest closed down in April 2020, it had been operating 24 hours a day. When it reopens on Monday, its hours will be limited, from 6 am to 2 pm, at least for the time being.
Still, many local business owners and others who frequently cross the border on foot are celebrating this news.
"It is going to help a lot," said Olivia Campos, owner of Carolin Shoes, located on San Ysidro Blvd. next to the border.
She opened in her current location in Dec. 2019, just a few months before the start of the pandemic and the closure of PedWest, a closure that meant fewer customers, as people were unwilling to wait in much longer lines at PedEast.
"It takes three to four hours sometimes to cross the border," she told CBS 8, "And if you want to come to shop for one or two things it's not worth it, to be honest."
She's confident this re-opening, even with limited hours, will be better for her bottom line, as well as for other small businesses along the border that have managed to survive through the pandemic.
"It's going to help most of the businesses that we still have left here," she added, "And I think, slowly, there is going to be a recovery."
In a statement, Customs and Border Protection said "In an effort to provide additional crossing flexibility and service to our bi-national communities, we are working to restore our services to pre-pandemic status," adding that "We will continue to effectively manage wait times to enhance the border crossing experience for travelers that enter through the San Ysidro Port of Entry."
It is a welcome change for those who cross here on a nearly daily basis.
"It's fantastic news," said Jeff Brick, who lives in Tijuana with his family and crosses on foot every day to work in the United States: a crossing he said can currently take from two to three hours.
"It just adds to a longer work day, getting less done because the more time I spend in that line, the less time I'm able to put into the job," he said.
Not everyone is rejoicing, though.
"I think it's going to be negative for me," said Irwin Palacios, owner of Maya's Gourmet Pizza, which is located right near PedEast. He said the closure of PedWest has provided him with a larger stream of foot traffic, especially during lunchtime.
"Now, some people are going to be crossing at Las Americas and going to work or going back home," he added, "While here for me people working or going back home, they got to come through here and I got their business!"
You can check out current border wait times, updated on an hourly basis, both online and through a smartphone app provided by Customs and Border Protection. For more information, click here.
WATH RELATED: First woman to head San Ysidro Port of Entry discusses fentanyl crisis (Oct. 2022).