New Texas-Mexico Border Project to Improve Truck Processing
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Customs and Border Protection has partnered with Texas in a donations-acceptance program for a $6.9 million construction project to more efficiently process trucks bringing in cargo from Mexico over the Los Indios border crossing.
Some 25 miles northwest of Brownsville, the Los Indios Land Port of Entry has been operating since 1992 with two lanes in each direction about 10 miles south of Harlingen and San Benito in Cameron County, Texas.
“Inspection of commodities would be efficiently streamlined from gate to gate with the addition of a second exit processing gate,” Tater Ortiz, CBP director of the Brownsville Port of Entry, told Transport Topics.
The partnership is through CBP’s , the and the .
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“Operational benefits will include an increase in throughput by commercial vehicles being able to drive forward into the state-mandated inspection facility rather than backing into the facility. The project will also add an additional wide load lane, booth and canopy to increase the capacity to discharge vehicles out of the LPOE,” according to CBP.
An average of 120 commercial trucks pass through the crossing there per day. Ortiz noted that CBP officers at the Los Indios crossing (over the Free Trade International Bridge) processed more than 6,800 northbound commercial trucks in October.
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The federal government will put $4.3 million toward the project. TxDOT is contributing the remaining $2.6 million to pay for infrastructure improvements such as adding concrete pavement, a canopy, inspection booths, signs, fencing and striping at the northeast corner of the LPOE.
These improvements will connect the Los Indios Land Port of Entry with a Texas Border Safety Inspection Facility at Los Indios in Cameron County to more efficiently handle commercial traffic flows originating from Mexico to the U.S.
“Trucks currently leave the port, drive down the roadway and then enter a temporary border safety inspection facility (BSIF). The new BSIF will be located adjacent to the LPOE. After the project is complete, the trucks will leave the LPOE and enter the BSIF seamlessly,” said Adam Hammons, TxDOT director of media relations.
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Ortiz said the tentative start of construction will be in May or June, and the project is estimated to take eight to 10 months to complete.
“Through public-private partnerships, our investments in infrastructure improvements at the Los Indios LPOE not only streamline traffic flow and reduce border wait times but also enhance commerce, improve connectivity, and strengthen communities,” said CBP acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Diane Sabatino.
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