Jordan Salas reports on El Paso officials defend BOTA modernization plan as Chamber warns of trade fallout (Credit: KFOX14)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It is also El Paso’s only toll-free port of entry.<\/p>\n
The General Services Administration said the port processes commercial, non-commercial and pedestrian traffic, and that heavy traffic has created congestion at a facility where much of the infrastructure has reached the end of its life cycle.<\/p>\n
The GSA selected what it calls Alternative 4, a plan that would modernize the port within its existing boundaries, include minor land acquisition and eliminate all commercial cargo operations at BOTA. <\/p>\n
GSA released its Record of Decision on May 2, 2025, completing the project\u2019s National Environmental Policy Act review, which began in 2023.<\/p>\n
KFOX14\/CBS4 reported in May 2025 that GSA finalized the project after selecting Alternative 4, saying the decision followed community input and support from local leaders concerned about truck emissions and air quality in border neighborhoods.<\/p>\n
RELATED: GSA finalizes Bridge of the Americas project; excludes commercial trucks<\/a><\/p>\n The officials who wrote the opinion piece said commercial traffic should instead be shifted to other crossings, including Santa Teresa-San Jer\u00f3nimo, Ysleta and Tornillo. <\/p>\n Tornillo Port of Entry. Credit: El Paso County<\/p>\n The officials argued that keeping BOTA focused mostly on passenger traffic is not anti-business, but a way to move commercial trucks away from a dense urban corridor.<\/p>\n Lim\u00f3n said the issue is not about stopping commercial traffic altogether, but about where that traffic should go.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s three ports of entry that they can use,\u201d Lim\u00f3n said. \u201cI know it\u2019s a little bit longer, but ultimately we need to look at how it affects the people, the community, the people that are living.\u201d<\/p>\n That position has been echoed for years by some residents and community advocates. <\/p>\n KFOX14\/CBS4 reported in 2024 that residents near BOTA raised concerns about diesel fumes, traffic and pollution during public meetings on the project.<\/p>\n RELATED: El Paso debates future of Bridge of the Americas amid pollution and traffic concerns<\/a><\/p>\n The issue has continued to stir public reaction. <\/p>\n In December, KFOX14\/CBS4 reported that Familias Unidas del Chamizal held a protest opposing efforts that the group said could jeopardize the removal of commercial trucks from BOTA.<\/p>\n RELATED: Protest held at Bridge of the Americas against commercial trucks <\/a><\/p>\n The group argued that truck traffic has created environmental and public health concerns for nearby families, schools and public housing residents.<\/p>\n The opinion piece also criticized the El Paso Chamber, accusing the organization of trying to undo the GSA decision after taking part in the public input process. <\/p>\n The officials wrote that GSA received more than 12,000 comments, with 93 percent supporting the removal of commercial traffic.<\/p>\n Stout said that level of participation is part of why he believes the decision should stand.<\/p>\n \u201cThroughout this process, over 12,000 individuals participated,\u201d Stout said. \u201cThat\u2019s, in my opinion, since I\u2019ve been in office, one of the largest turnouts when it comes to participation in a public process that I\u2019ve actually seen.\u201d<\/p>\n But the Chamber and several business groups see the issue very differently.<\/p>\n The El Paso Chamber<\/a> said no economic impact study was done during the NEPA process, and that the decision does not fully account for what removing commercial traffic could mean for trade, supply chains, jobs and the regional economy. <\/p>\n The Chamber said BOTA handles about 1,500 trucks per day and facilitated $20.6 billion in trade in 2024. <\/p>\n The Chamber also said removing commercial operations from BOTA would cut commercial capacity by 40 percent and could lead to projected trade losses of $14.2 billion for Texas and $29.6 billion nationally.<\/p>\n Texas Border Business <\/a>reported that the Texas Association of Business renewed its opposition in a March 25 letter to U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. <\/p>\n According to the publication, the group backed the El Paso Chamber’s request for more time to complete an independent economic impact study before any final decision on commercial traffic is made.<\/p>\n Texas Border Business also reported that El Paso Chamber President and CEO Ricardo Mora sent a March 16 letter to Cornyn and Cruz urging federal intervention to delay the removal of commercial traffic. <\/p>\n The letter pointed to BOTA’s role as the region’s only toll-free crossing and its importance to empty cargo container movement in cross-border supply chains.<\/p>\n Stout said local leaders became more concerned after learning about the Chamber\u2019s efforts in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n \u201cWe received word recently that the Chamber has been lobbying pretty heavily in Washington, D.C.,\u201d Stout said.<\/p>\n Concerns about where truck traffic would go are not new. <\/p>\n KFOX14\/CBS4 reported in 2024 that El Paso County commissioners were considering more than $1 million for a survey tied to a commercial crossing at the Tornillo Port of Entry. <\/p>\n RELATED: El Paso County may fund $1.35 million survey for Tornillo port to ease truck traffic<\/a><\/p>\n In that report, Commissioner David Stout said he wanted to show that Tornillo could be used for commercial trucks instead of the Bridge of the Americas.<\/p>\n The project itself is still moving forward, according to GSA’s latest update.<\/p>\n![\"Tornillo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779767555_767_73dde815-28c0-4207-98b3-c047cf8ba0e5-large16x9_thumb_60300.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Protest](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779767555_313_f84beddb-8da1-44df-bdeb-4f957acc5b8b-Image20251212T161821.812.jpg\"\/)
Protest held at Bridge of the Americas against commercial trucks (Credit: KFOX14\/CBS4)<\/p>\n