The Bleary-Eyed Cross-Border Commute

In the wee hours of the morning, hundreds if not thousands of workers from Tijuana, Mexico trade the comfort of their beds for restless sleep in cars parked near U.S. border inspection stations.

1 minute read

January 4, 2007, 9:00 AM PST

By davarnado

"This snoozer of a commute is one of the unwelcome byproducts of a booming metropolitan area sliced by an international border." Students, construction crews, delivery truck drivers, stock clerks, and other lower income workers queue up as early as 1:15 am to avoid a possible two hour wait to cross the border into San Diego. "The commuter crush has grown steadily worse at all times of day, creating a 24-hour traffic nightmare."

"Either U.S. citizens or Mexican nationals who are legal U.S. residents, many have moved to Tijuana after being forced out of San Diego's pricey housing market."

The economic cost of the congestion to the U. S. and Mexican economies is staggering: "an estimated $6.0 billion in 2005 in such areas as lost wages and spending."

Thanks to D. A. Varnado, AICP

Read the full story: For this commute, set it on snooze control

Tuesday, January 2, 2007 in The Los Angeles Times

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