Release Courtesy of the New Mexico Economic Development Department
SANTA FE – New Mexico’s Santa Teresa Port of Entry officially began a $10 million expansion project on Thursday with a ceremonial groundbreaking at the site. Construction will begin later this month and is expected to conclude in September 2012, will double port capacity.
New Mexico Economic Development Department Secretary-designate Jon Barela joined several dignitaries from the U.S. General Services Administration, the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency and representatives from the New Mexico Congressional delegation for the groundbreaking.
“The expansion at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry is a big step in our plan to increase economic development at the New Mexico border region,” Barela said. “This expansion will not only benefit our region, but also will help handle the increased number of crossings by commercial and non-commercial vehicles.”
The components of the expansion include:
•Two Additional Northbound Non-Commercial Lanes and Inspection Booths
•Expanded Secondary Inspection Area for Non-Commercial Vehicles
•Pedestrian Walkway and Expanded Inspection Area
•One Additional Commercial Lane and Inspection Booth
•New Southbound Inspection Facility
•Modernization/Renovation of the Main Port Administration Building
Since 1997, the number of annual northbound passenger vehicle crossings at the Santa Teresa Port of Entry has gone from less than 100,000 to more than 500,000 and is continuing to grow.
The Santa Teresa Port of Entry is located 42 miles south of New Mexico’s second largest city, Las Cruces, and 20 minutes from historic downtown El Paso, Texas. From the POE, Interstate 10 is an easy 12 miles down the modern Pete Domenici Highway, the newest borderland multi-lane transportation link.
With little congestion and short lines, Santa Teresa, via its sister port Jeronimo is the premier driving route to southern Cd. Juarez, Cd. Chihuahua, and further into the interior of Mexico.
Open daily for commercial, non-commercial, and pedestrian traffic, Santa Teresa is the newest port of entry on the US/Mexico border. The state-of-the art facilities were opened in 1998, replacing the original port, which opened in 1992.
