Laredo ports of entry secure $61.6M investment

LAREDO – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will invest $61.6 million for construction in Laredo’s Gateway to the Americas (near Convent Avenue) and Juarez-Lincoln Ports of Entry to ease traffic and to help the Department of Homeland Security continue its mission.

The funding will allow the GSA to create:

•  a bus inspection and passenger processing area;
•  pedestrian inspection lanes;
•  an inspection area including luggage x-ray;
•  a waiting area;
•  restrooms; and
•  a canopy for loading and unloading buses.

In 2012, the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry processed 38,368 buses, 989,205 bus passengers and 3,360,174 cars making it the busiest bus and the third busiest automobile port in the nation. Since 1995, bus traffic has increased 81 percent and bus passengers increased by 217 percent.

The Gateway to the Americas Port of Entry had 3,552,593 people pass through in 2013. In 2012, 3,206,372 people and 932,847 automobiles passed through making it the fifth busiest pedestrian port in the nation.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will have a dedicated area at the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry to perform required bus inspections on a more consistent basis. Additionally, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will have a permanent presence at both ports.

“With these funds, Laredo will be able to modernize the infrastructure and expand the facilities at our bridges. This means pedestrians will no longer have to wait in long lines in the heat and buses and cars will pass more quickly across the border,” said Congressman Henry Cuellar.

Read more at the Laredo Development Foundation and border crossings at Texas A&M University International.