A significant step forward has been taken with a project in El Paso that has been in the talking and planning stage for the better part of a decade.
The General Services Administration has announced its support for modernizing the Bridge of the Americas, which crosses the Rio Grande and connects El Paso with the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez.
Issuing what is officially titled the Final Environmental Impact Statement, the GSA has said that it is endorsing what is known as Alternative 4 in the bridge work plan which focuses on a multi-level upgrade within the current boundaries of the structure and requires minor land acquisition.
The GSA document also endorses redirecting commercial truck traffic to other regional bridges in an effort to alleviate congestion.
In a statement, Jared Bradley, regional commissioner for the GSA’s Greater Southwest Region, said the GSA is “excited to take this pivotal step towards providing El Paso with a modernized port of entry, while balancing federal government requirements, community objectives, environmental policies, and available taxpayer funding.”
Democrat Representative Veronica Escobar, whose district includes El Paso, issued a separate statement remarking: “We are one step closer to delivering a transformational investment to our border region which will lead to cleaner air and a healthier community for generations to come.”
Built in 1967, the Bridge of the Americas is one of four crossings in metro El Paso. The bridge daily serves toll-free inbound and outbound commercial, non-commercial, and even pedestrian traffic.
The project now enters the design phase, with work expected to begin in early 2027. If all goes as expected, most of the work on the bridge should be completed by mid-2030.
May 8, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of the City of El Paso
