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El Paso City Council approves a $72.5 million, five-year plan for the city's international bridges
Ysleta-Zaragoza smart traffic tops the plan's named projects at $17.9 million
Sources: KTSM 9 News, El Paso Times, KFOX-TV, KVIA
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Smart traffic technology | $17.9 million |
| Pedestrian and site upgrades | $17 million |
| Toll system modernization | $6.2 million |
If you cross the border on a city-owned bridge, Tuesday's vote maps out the next five years. Council approved the Fiscal Year 2027-2031 International Bridges Capital Improvement Program, with more than $72.5 million in planned work at the Paso del Norte, Stanton-Lerdo and Ysleta-Zaragoza ports of entry.
The biggest named project is $17.9 million for electronic message signs and traffic cameras at Ysleta-Zaragoza, to give travelers updates on congestion, port closures and southbound crossing times. Construction is underway, and the city expects it done in summer 2027. Another $17 million is planned there for shade canopies, a plaza with restrooms and an E-Fast Pass customer service office.
- GFT Inc. contract: $3.75 million for an Ysleta-Zaragoza expansion study
- That contract sits inside a $5 million project budget
- Paso del Norte and Stanton study: $4 million total budget
- Federal request: $3.2 million, not yet awarded
The Downtown bridges study would split its $4 million budget 80% federal, 20% city
The Paso del Norte and Stanton feasibility study, $4 million, by where it comes from and where it goes
Comes from
$4 million
Goes to
Comes from
- $3.2M Federal request 80%
- $800K City match 20%
$4 million
Goes to
- $4M Feasibility study 100%
Sources: KTSM 9 News, El Paso Times, KFOX-TV, KVIA
View as table
| Amount | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| From: Federal request | $3.2 million | 80% |
| From: City match | $800,000 | 20% |
| To: Feasibility study | $4 million | 100% |
The vote comes as the federal government moves forward with modernizing the Bridge of the Americas, and plans advance to remove commercial traffic from it and divert that traffic to ports outside the city center.
