SAN YSIDRO – Travelers at the world's busiest border crossing are embracing a new program to cut wait times. About 20 per cent of them are now using the Ready Lane launched a month ago, U.S. authorities said Wednesday.

Since Dec. 20, the lanes used in this program, located on the right side of the port, have processed nearly 183,000 people, said Chris Maston, Customs and Border Protection port director.

These figures were cited during the official inauguration of the Ready Lane in San Ysidro attended by authorities from both sides of the border.

"I am convinced that San Ysidro is the key to the future economy of this region," said U.S. Consul in Tijuana Steve Kashkett.

For her part, Mexico's Consul-General in San Diego, Remedios Gómez Arnau, applauded U.S. authorities for implementing this program.

"The Mexican government will support whatever measures are needed to speed up cross-border traffic," she said.

To be able to use the special lanes, border crosses must have any of the U.S.-issued travel documents that have high-tech chip, such as newer passports, "green cards" and laser visas.

These documents allow CBP officers to identify travelers moments before they arrive at the inspection booth, shortening their processing time.

CBP officials estimate that up to 40 per cent of the people who cross at San Ysidro have the required documents to use the Ready Lane.

Their goal is that travelers using this program wait an average of one hour or less to cross at San Ysidro although they acknowledge that on busy days the wait time would be longer.

They estimate that the use of the Ready Lane saves 20 seconds per vehicle, time that quickly adds up given the tens of thousands of travelers who cross daily.

As many as 12 inspection booths can be used for this purpose at San Ysidro when double-stacked per lane.

Wait times can be notoriously long at San Ysidro, commonly stretching two or more hours.

The program arrived in the region in April, when the first Ready Lane opened at the Otay Mesa port of entry.

Travelers embraced the program, which was expanded to five lanes. About one-third of the border crossers there now use the Ready Lane.

For his part, David Navarro, Tijuana's secretary of urban development, said that signage has been erected on the Mexican side to direct travelers to the Ready Lane.

These lanes are located on the right-hand side of the border crossing, next to those used by travelers with the fast-pass SENTRI card.

Motorists can reach these lanes from Avenida Padre Kino or through the Vía Rápida Oriente.

The Ready Lane program in San Ysidro is the only one that operates 24 hours a day in the country.

Partial closure

The first six lanes on the port's right side, normally used by SENTRI travelers, have been closed since Jan. 8 for the expansion project.

CBP officials said that the temporary closure will not lead to longer wait times for travelers because remaining lanes are double-stacked.

"The capacity to inspect vehicles remains the same," said agency spokeswoman Jackie Wasiluk.

She said the date the lanes will reopen will be determined by the pace of the remodeling project.

alexandra.mendoza@sandiegored.com