The San Ysidro Land Port of Entry is one of the busiest land ports in the world. A new transit center is proposed on the west side of the Port at Virginia Avenue and on the East side of the Outlets at the Border, a commercial outlet facility that is more than a half mile long and a quarter mile wide. This transit center is adjacent to the new West Pedestrian building and together will provide an additional pedestrian border crossing. This project is part of a larger three-phased expansion and reconfiguration project.

The Virginia Avenue Transit Center (VATC) project consists of a new transit center and the widening of Virginia Avenue to accommodate buses, taxis, jitneys, personal vehicles, and pedestrians who travel between the U.S. and Mexico through the port facility.

The U.S. General Services administration (GSA) retained the services of Interactive Resources, Inc. to provide project management and oversight for the bridging design services for the project as part of the design-build team. Our subconsultant, GHD, Inc. provided civil, structural, stormwater, SWPPP, photo simulation, paving, and irrigation and site security services.

Project stakeholders were extensive and included the City of San Diego, US Customs and Border Patrol, San Diego Police and Fire Departments, SANDAG (Association of Governments), Caltrans, San Diego Metropolitan Transit Systems (MTS), the Border Project Program Manager, adjacent project teams, The Outlets at the Border development, and GSA staff.

Subconsultants: Cost estimating was provided by Silva Cost Consulting and architectural landscaping was provided by PGA Design. Site security services were provided by Security By Design.

Additionally, the design of this new, modern transit center included:
•    Traffic signalization at the intersection of Virginia Avenue and Camino de la Plaza
•    Privately Owned Vehicles (POV), taxis, jitneys and bus drop off and pickup
•    Site work in and around Virginia Avenue
•    New vehicle and pedestrian site lighting
•    Streetscape elements – benches, trash and recycle cans, shade structures
•    Security site evaluation and infrastructure (fencing, communication conduit, etc)
•    New utilities and signage
•    Wayfinding and Destination Signing
•    Low Impact Design (LID) facilities
•    Bridge structure widening

Photos courtesy of General Services Administration