SAN DIEGO — A border crossing is set to partially reopen after temporarily closing last month. Business owners in San Ysidro say they have been feeling the pain of PedWest’s closure.
The pain is reinforced by the number of times PedWest has shut down operations. It closed last September during the influx of migrants making their way into San Diego County and then reopened late November. Shortly after come December, it closed down again.
The timing of it all fell upon the holiday season, leaving businesses to reap the consequences during usually one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year.
Carolina Lin’s family owns Carolin Shoes in San Ysidro nearby the PedWest Port of Entry. She goes to school at Southwest and helps run the store in her free time.
“The holidays is where we make most of our income and if there’s no people, well then there’s just no profit,” Lin explained.
PedWest shut down last month as a measure to help Border Patrol when taking migrants into custody.
“Once they see the numbers go down, they make these decisions and reopen the ports of entry. So, we welcome any reopening…,” shared Joaquin Luken, who acts as the Executive Director of Smart Border Coalition.
Since its December closure, many were left to rely on the PedEast border crossing. Luken says the alternative option had its toll on rideshare programs, keeping cars at a standstill.
“You have the trolly tracks, you have traffic coming in and out, and it’s really hard for people to get a rideshare, to get a pickup, to get a drop off,” Luken went on to say.
It added hours of waiting during one of the busiest travel months of the year, bringing business to a halt for taxi driver Vaqar Hussain who says he lost about 60% of his usual holiday business.
However, the reopening of PedWest brings a newfound hope.
“It’s a happy new year for us …we’re going to be having more customers, making more, money supporting family,” Hussain said.
“This is just not a reopening for the shopping community, for the business community, but it really trickles up to the rest of the county.”
Joaquin Luken, Executive Director of the Smart Border Coalition.
However, with some hope, comes skepticism.
“I’m nervous and excited because PedWest has constantly been opening and closing, so it’s nothing for sure set-in stone. [I’m] hoping that PedWest stays open so it can bring customers in and make more profit, especially during these tough times,” Lin said.
PedWest hours resume Thursday under limited hours. Northbound operations will be open from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. Southbound operations will open from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m.