Bridge over Border Connects Mexico Airport to U.S. City
A purple-colored pedestrian bridge over the U.S.-Mexico border opened Wednesday to connect Tijuana's airport to a terminal in the neighboring U.S. city of San Diego, the first of its kind between the countries.
The 120-meter (390-foot) enclosed bridge was inaugurated at a time when U.S. politicians still talk of tightening border security by building more walls to prevent illegal immigration.
The $120 million Cross Border Xpress (CBX) aims to make travel easier for passengers who currently have to wait long and unpredictable lines at two congested border crossings between the Californian city and Tijuana.
The passageway will only be available to ticketed passengers: Those who are flying out of the airport within 24 hours while those who land there will have two hours to use it.
Funded by U.S. and Mexican investors, the bridge seeks to serve more than two million passengers per year. The service will be free until December 18. After that, it will cost $18 each way.
The terminal on the U.S. side has a parking lot, duty-free shops and U.S. customs and border operations.
"CBX will transform the border crossing experience for millions of travelers," Carlos Laviada, an investor in the project, said in a statement.
The Tijuana airport serves 34 destinations in Mexico plus three weekly flights to Shanghai, China.
Source: Agence France Presse
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