Expansion Project Begins

One Lane To Close Wednesday at Paso Del Norte

May 22, 2007 -- Press Release

May 22, 2007
Contact PAO Roger Maier
915-633-7300 x122


ONE LANE TO CLOSE WEDNESDAY AT PASO DEL NORTE PORT OF ENTRY AS EXPANSION PROJECT BEGINS

EL PASO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials in El Paso are alerting members of the traveling public that one lane at the downtown Paso Del Norte port of entry will be closed Wednesday morning as the initial phase of the port expansion project announced last month begins. Construction crews will close lane 9 (the last northbound vehicular lane on the west side of the facility) and an adjacent “turnaround” lane so they can begin trenching to install utility lines and initiate work needed in advance of the installation of a 60-inch underground drainage pipe. Eight of the existing nine vehicular lanes will still be available to process northbound cars so the overall impact on the traveling will be limited during this initial phase of the project.

All five lanes located west of the CBP headhouse (lanes 5-9) will be closed in mid-June to fully accommodate this part of the project. CBP will initiate “double up” inspections at the remaining four vehicular lanes in an effort to maintain the flow the vehicular traffic while still performing their anti-terror mission. Other traffic management strategies will also be adopted to maintain CBP’s balance between enforcement and facilitation.

When complete, the $26.6 million project will add nine new pedestrian inspection lanes and two additional vehicular inspection lanes to the existing facility. The project will also remodel and substantially increase the size of existing structures at the port, add new office space, and replace existing kennel facilities. The 900-day construction project is slated to be completed in June 2009.

The most visible past of the project for the traveling public will the addition of numerous inspection lanes. When the project is completed, PDN will have 14 pedestrian inspection lanes (up from 5) and 11 vehicular inspection lanes (up from 9). Approximately 16,700 northbound pedestrians and 9,200 northbound cars are now processed at the facility on a daily basis.

The space to add the new inspection lanes will be created by relocating the existing CBP “head house” administration building to the far northern end of the secondary inspection capacity. The existing head house currently occupies space between lanes four and five at the port, which will be converted to inspection lanes.

Work on the expansion project will be conducted in phases. During portions of the project, northbound pedestrian traffic will be rerouted east through the CBP secure facility. Pedestrians will exit the facility on Oregon Street. Pedestrians currently exit the PDN facility on El Paso Street. The project should not impact the overall flow of northbound pedestrians. A temporary structure with 12 inspection lanes will be used to process pedestrians during the project.

General construction, the removal of the existing head house and the addition of new inspection lanes will require the closing of some vehicular lanes during the project. A minimum of four lanes will be available to northbound traffic during the duration of the project and additional lanes will be made available for use as soon as construction allows. CBP officials plan to utilize various traffic management principles to keep traffic flowing as quickly as possible during the project while maintaining their anti-terror mission.

In addition to the new lanes, the project will upgrade and almost double in size the existing 30,309 square foot administration building by providing 25,955 square feet of additions to the building. Plans also call for a new 14,311 square foot dog kennel to house 60-canines at the northeast end of the facility. The existing dog kennel building will be renovated to create office space for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Other changes include the construction of a bus lane next to the administration building, a new TABC kiosk and booth, and enhanced parking and access. The $26.6 million design-build contract was awarded to TGS/SamCorp Joint Venture in September 2006. Congress funded the project in January 2007.

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.