| | |  Business News 
Mexico's President to Open New Port
 Cesar Neyoy - Bajo El Sol
go to original
November 02, 2010
After a more than yearlong delay, a commercial border crossing is set to open Thursday in San Luis, Ariz., in a ceremony that will bring Mexico's president, according to published reports in Mexico and officials in San Luis Rio Colorado, Son.
President Felipe Calderon will travel to San Luis Rio Colorado for a ceremony that will officially open the southbound lanes of the commercial port of entry into Mexico, according to published news reports that were confirmed by Sor Angel Gomez, spokeswoman for the border city's government.
The new port, named San Luis II, is a bilateral project designed to ease the flow of commerce between the two nations and meanwhile reduce long vehicle lines and traffic congestion in downtown San Luis, Ariz., and neighboring San Luis Rio Colorado.
It consists of buildings and three traffic lanes that will be staffed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers who process traffic entering from Mexico, plus complementary facilities south of the border where Mexico's customs officers will inspect southbound traffic.
The United States finished its part of the port of entry in the summer of 2009, but the crossing's opening has lagged more than a year behind schedule due in part to construction delays on the Mexican side of the border. CBP officials say they are ready to open the new port's northbound lanes anytime Mexico opens the southbound lanes.
A planned opening of the port on Oct. 25 was canceled after an hour when Mexican customs officers suddenly stopped southbound traffic. Mexican customs officials did not respond to questions from Bajo El Sol concerning the aborted port opening.
But this week newspaper reports in San Luis Rio Colorado quoted Leonardo Guillen, who represents the border city in Mexico's congress, as saying Calderon will travel from Mexicali to attend the opening of the port. Calderon is scheduled to attend events in Mexicali prior to his visit to San Luis, the reports said.
Gomez confirmed for Bajo El Sol Calderon's visit.
Brian Levin, CBP spokesman in Tucson, said the agency is working with Mexican authorities to coordinate the opening of the crossing but said he had no date for the event.
Once open, the port will handle not only tractor-trailers, but smaller flat-bed trucks, pickup trucks and sedans that travel between the two countries for commercial purposes, CBP officials said.
Currently, all commercial and private vehicles traveling between the United States and Mexico use the port of entry in downtown San Luis, Ariz.
When the new crossing opens about five miles to the east, the existing port of entry will be reserved for private vehicles in a reshuffling officials hope will ease congestions in the downtowns of both cities.
On the U.S. side, the port will tie into the Area Service Highway, providing tractor-trailers a more direct route to U.S. markets via Interstate 8.
Once it opens, the commercial port will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, for a shorter period on Saturdays and will be closed Sundays, Small said, adding those hours may be extended, depending on traffic demands.
|
|
| |
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us