EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Be patient and check border wait times online. That’s the advice from border officials to travelers as Mexico will perform structural maintenance on the downtown Paso del Norte international bridge for the next month.
Beginning Monday night, Mexican officials will close one of the three northbound passenger vehicle lanes of PDN to replace steel rails separating sections of asphalt on the structure linking downtown Juarez, Mexico, to Downtown El Paso.
Closure times this week are from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Details on how the work will proceed after the first part of a four-stage process are pending. There’s no word on whether the restricted SENTRI lane on the structure will be affected.
“This work is necessary because it will prevent cracking on the surface of the bridge. It’s for the users’ safety,” said Nayareli Rivera, a spokeswoman for the Chihuahua Bridge Trust Fund (FPFCH). “It’s important (commuters) check social media for updates.”
The agency recommends motorists plan for an extended commute and check border wait times online or monitor real-time cameras on a YouTube site. It also helps if people have the exact toll available ($2.20 per vehicle) when they approach the toll booth to not create further delays.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is aware of the pending work on the Mexican side of the port of entry. CBP officials say traffic generally is light during the closing hours announces, so the impact to be minimal on the U.S. side of the border.
According to El Paso’s International Bridge Steering Committee, some 12.8 million passenger vehicles and 5.7 million pedestrians crossed the international bridges between Juarez to El Paso last year.
