McAllen, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Anzalduas International Bridge Board (AIBB) are pleased to announce the completion of a small-scale infrastructure improvements project at the Anzalduas Land Port of Entry (LPOE).
Under CBP’s Donations Acceptance Program, CBP, GSA, and the AIBB completed a lane expansion project at the Anzalduas LPOE over a three-month period. The project consisted of pavement improvements of approximately 605-linear feet with a 45-foot taper dedicated for a through lane. In addition, the AIBB upgraded the concrete pavement, restriped the road, and re-graded the adjacent natural ground to ensure proper drainage. The improvements are anticipated to decrease wait times at the LPOE.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to pursue public-private partnerships with local entities, such as the Anzalduas International Bridge Board. Having an additional lane and improvements like these have a significant positive impact in our ability to expedite processing times for passengers and also strengthen our ports of entry and the surrounding communities” said Pete Flores, Executive Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Field Operations.
The AIBB submitted a formal proposal under CBP’s Donations Acceptance Program (DAP) in March 2020 for infrastructure improvements to reduce congestion at the Anzalduas LPOE. After months of planning and designing, the formal Donations Acceptance Agreement (DAA) was signed on December 11, 2020. Today’s announcement of construction completion finalizes a project and strong partnership which provides positive benefits to the port, drivers, and surrounding communities.
“Public-private partnership opportunities like this help optimize GSA’s value within local communities,” said GSA PBS Regional Commissioner Giancarlo Brizzi. “By aligning our operational goals and strategic plans with the economic development goals of local communities, we are able to create a positive economic catalyst in the communities we serve and the U.S. economy as a whole.”
The project is an enhancement to a previous partnership between the AIBB, GSA, and CBP. These improvements will be a welcome addition to the ongoing full commercial project which AIBB, GSA, and CBP are currently working on. In all, the improvements at the Anzalduas LPOE will position the port to meet the fast-growing flow of goods between the U.S. – Mexico Border.
“The City of McAllen and the Anzalduas International Bridge Board is proud to partner with CBP and GSA on this donation for infrastructure improvements. We are committed to continue to work with our federal partners to identify and implement innovative methods to expedite traffic and trade at our port of entry,” said City of McAllen Mayor and AIBB Chairman Javier Villalobos, J.D. “The Donations Acceptance Program provide us that venue where we come together and address specific federal needs at the local level which keeps international trade and commerce flowing swiftly and smoothly on both sides of the border. Projects like this ensure that CBP continue with its mission of facilitating legitimate trade and travel while addressing the economic growth and expansion of our city.”
This project was accepted pursuant to 6 U.S.C. § 301a, and more generally, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, 6 U.S.C. §§ 112 et seq., as amended, CBP and GSA are authorized to accept donations of real property, personal property (including monetary donations) and non-personal services from private sector and government entities. Accepted donations may be used for port of entry construction, alterations, operations, and maintenance activities.
Public-private partnerships are a key component of CBP’s Resource Optimization Strategy and allow CBP to provide new or expanded services and infrastructure at domestic ports of entry. For more information, visit www.cbp.gov/DAP.