SAN YSIDRO Despite assurances to the contrary, crossing into the United States is taking at least an hour longer than usual, pushing wait times to three hours or more during the morning commute.
That's because the eight lanes on the far left side of the port of entry were closed starting Monday for construction work.
U.S. customs authorities had said that each remaining regular lane would be double staffed to compensate for the shuttered lanes, so wait times would not be affected.
Motorists leaning on their car horns Tuesday morning begged to differ. They had waited more than three hours to cross and still had not reached a U.S. customs inspector.
"I waited in a similar line yesterday," said Omar Salazar, a businessman in Chula Vista, as he waited to cross Tuesday morning. "They have double-stacked the booths but it's still taking more than two hours."
Some of the vendors who sell goods at the lanes on the left side of the port said the wait was longer on Monday.
"We're used to waiting more than two hours but since yesterday I have noticed that traffic is moving slower," said Irma Suárez, a San Ysidro resident. "It's like they are taking longer inspecting each car."
Border authorities recommend that motorists with travel documents enabled with RFID technology, such as the U.S. passport card or a border crossing card issued after 2008, use the Ready Lane to cross more quickly.
The Ready Lane is located on the right side of the port and can be accessed from the Vía Rápida Oriente or from Avenida Padre Kino.
Motorists using the Ready Lane were crossing in an hour on Tuesday morning.
In the regular lanes, however, the story was different – and may be for a long time. The closure of the eight lanes is to last through next fall.
alexandra.mendoza@sandiegored.com
