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San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Releases Otay Mesa East Port of Entry Economic Impact Study

The Economic Research Bureau of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce recently released a 20-page study detailing the impacts a new port of entry (POE) at Otay Mesa East will have on our region’s economy.

United States trade in goods with Mexico has increased from $297 billion in 1993 to $883 billion in 2006, and increased trade between San Diego County and Mexico has stretched the capacity of existing infrastructure.  Seventy percent of truck traffic between California and Mexico travels through San Diego County POEs.  According to estimates from the San Diego Association of Governments, $6 billion in gross revenue was lost in 2005 due to lengthy border wait times.  The new POE at Otay Mesa East would create an alternative border crossing to San Ysidro, Otay Mesa and Tecate, reducing border wait times and facilitating trade and cross border investments.

The study estimates that the positive economic effects for the state of California from the new POE at Otay Mesa East would exceed $31.6 billion over the first 10 years of operation, from 2015 to 2024.  The San Diego regional economy would benefit by over $14 billion in that period. Gains from the new border crossing are based mainly upon increased output due to enhanced freight crossing, as well as increased personal vehicle crossings and travel.  The machinery and equipment industry is estimated to benefit the most from the new crossing.

The study is the next step in the Chamber's efforts to build support for a Presidential Permit to allow construction of the new Otay Mesa East POE.The Chamber recently met with President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City, and with State Department and White House officials in Washington, D.C., in support of the new POE and other new border infrastructure.

The study was released to the press via teleconference, and was presented to members of the FederalBorder Facilitation Group, who was in San Diego as part of their goalto improvethe efficiency of existing border infrastructure and reduce transit times atour ports of entry.

The study is available for download on the Chamber’s Web site.