When the traffic back to the US is back up don't forget about the car pool lane. It is poorly marked but will move several times faster than the regular lane. To get into the car pool lane you want to be in the far right lane after you make the turn onto the main US return. On a busy day it is stop and go as you get onto the final road. Stay in the far right lane. Just before the approach splits to accomidate some vender stalls get into the first lane on the right side of the split. Keep the vender stalls on the left. This lane turns into three other lanes so moves much faster. The rule is you have to have three people to get in the car pool lane but I have never seen it enforced and the US customs guys could care less. If the Mexican police say anything,which I doubt would happen, just say sorry, don't speak Spanish. There is no way to make you turn around or stop.
Even better get as Sentri pass. You never wait more than five mintues. The procedure:
First, you need to call 619-690-7600 to make an appointment. The Sentri office is located at the Otay Mesa border building. It took me four months to get my appointment to go in but right now they said they have speeded up things.
At your appointment you bring in paper work (you can download it from their website which is on the bottom of this post) and they fingerprint you. You pay a one time fee of $49 and the FBI does a check on you. It took another four months to get called to say I was approved. Right now, they say the wait is 3-5 months. So overall, I waited eight months. People applying today might only have to wait 4-5 months.
Once called to say you are approved, you can go down the next day or when you want (they give you an appointment time) to get your pass and transformer which they attach under your rear view mirror on your front window.
You go down there and you have to have your car empty and cleaned out. They inspect your car. Once approved they put the tranformer with velcro on your front windshield. You must have two license plates on your car, have proof of current car insurance and have a current registration on your car.
The fee is $80 for two years and the renewal is $105. The San Ysidro Sentri lanes are open 5:30 AM-10 PM Monday-Thursday, 5:30 AM-midnight on Friday, 8 AM-midnight on Saturdays and 8 AM-10 PM on Sunday on federal holidays.
Juan
The Sentri webpage:
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/shared/lawenfor/bmgmt/inspect/sentri.htm