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What a century this region lived. San Diego and Tijuana went from sleepy little towns to major cities in their respective countries. From an occasional border crossing to the most-crossed border in the world. From insignificant annual transborder economic activity to billions of dollars flowing between the two cities. From no educational or cultural exchanges to a thriving and constant flow of such activities.
And the problems; let's not forget those. Tijuana was the gambling mecca of Southern California; a principal entry point for liquor smuggling during prohibition in the United States; the capital of marriage or divorce in one afternoon; and home to dozens of sleazy bars and brothels. While Tijuana had the bad reputation for much of last century, it was the San Diego and Los Angeles students, military men and others whose "sins" made Tijuana what it was. The two "sinners" survived this, only to find a new set of problems facing them.
As Tijuana became the preferred region for foreign-owned assembly operations, thriving with the investment pouring in and new jobs created, it became the destination of internal migrations from throughout Mexico. The strain on social services, an infrastructure unable to keep pace with demand, and higher-paying jobs readily available across the border made Tijuana the favorite jumping-off place for illegal immigrants. Then followed the drug cartels, which found smuggling across the 2,000-mile border easier than using seaports. California, with high demand and socially acceptable drug use, saw Tijuana as its shortest route for drug entry. As we enter the new century, Tijuana still is faced with well-entrenched drug barons, and continues as one of the preferred final destinations for migrants seeking to enter the United States.
Entering the new century, the two cities are still facing numerous old problems, and with the march of time will face new ones. But the San Diego region has transformed its once indifferent attitude toward Tijuana into a new realization that the two cities are bound by geography into one region. With this new attitude, solutions to problems will materialize and progress will be shared.
So here are some predictions I make for the two cities during the new century:
- San Diego will not resolve its airport problem during the next 30 years, so it will rely heavily on Tijuana's airport for support. A new terminal will be built there, which will connect by bridge across the border into a terminal annex and parking facility. The Tijuana airport will include a state-of-the-art air cargo facility with an over-the-border road for cargo movement to and from warehouses on Otay Mesa.
- The San Diego & Imperial Valley Railroad will change to the San Diego & Baja California Railroad. It will connect the Port of San Diego, Tijuana, Tecate and eventually the Port of Ensenada (a railroad will be built between Ensenada and Tecate). The presently closed section connecting the rail with Imperial Valley will be repaired, opened for traffic and modernized to provide access to the middle and eastern states, as well as Mexico and Gulf of Mexico seaports. Tijuana will attract major investment by providing industrial parks with rail spur service, creating new jobs, and sharing greater economic activity with San Diego.
- The two cities will enter into an agreement for the transportation of water from the Colorado River for the benefit of the region.
- San Diego-based Sempra Energy will win the concession to serve the power needs of Tijuana, Tecate and Rosarito Beach.
- Medical trauma facilities in Tijuana, Rosarito Beach, Tecate and Ensenada will be hooked up with trauma units in San Diego for immediate communication and disposition of treatment, and immediate medical evacuation of seriously injured or sick U.S. visitors when needed. Binational health organizations will establish systems for resolving regional health problems and disease prevention.
- In Mexico, a non-PRI candidate will become president in 2006. (PRI will win in 2000.) Baja California's PAN will continue to dominate and win the governor's office through 2020.
- In San Diego, by 2010 the border transportation infrastructure will include an operational Highway 125, the 905 Freeway will be under construction, and an additional Port of Entry will be open east of the present Otay Mesa port.
- But this last prediction is the one of which I am most certain: Roger Hedgecock will continue to be critical of Mexico as long as he is a radio talk show host, and that’s going to be a long time.
Patrick Osio Jr. can be reached through Metropolitan Magazine or by e-mail at posiojr@aol.com
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