EL PASO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in El Paso have completed a construction project in the southbound lanes of the Bridge of the Americas. The project includes the installation of bollards, speed humps, automated license plate readers and LED signage. The project began September 29, 2014 and was finished last week.
“These upgrades provide CBP with the ability to leverage existing technology to speed up processing times for outbound traffic,” said Beverly Good, CBP El Paso port director. “We continue to strive to install systems which further enhance border security and gain efficiencies.”
Upgrades at Bridge of the Americas international crossing.
CBP’s primary mission is homeland security. All arriving people, conveyances and cargo are subject to inspection. In recent years CBP has also enhanced the level of outbound exams as part of the overall mission. CBP officers performing outbound exams are typically enforcing currency reporting requirements, searching for smuggled weapons and ammunition, and other export requirements. These inspections also routinely uncover wanted individuals, stolen vehicles and other violations.
The recent southbound upgrades at Bridge of the Americas provides CBP officers with improved tools and technology to support this mission. The directional LED signage will also create a more efficient flow of traffic. The lanes leading to the southbound canopy were also widened and the turnaround area was expanded and moved slightly further north as part of the project.