U.S. General Services Administration
Border officials cut the ribbon on new state-of-the-art port in Madawaska
BOSTON - In a joint ceremony on Thursday, August 15, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT), New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and Canada Border Services Agency cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the new Madawaska Land Port of Entry and Madawaska-Edmundston International bridge. These two distinct and separate projects required strong multi-disciplinary and cross agency coordination.
Multiple dignitaries gave remarks to celebrate the end of this decades-long effort, including: GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan; Senator Susan Collins; Senator Angus King; Congressman Jared Golden; New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs; Rene Arseneault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska – Restigouche, New Brunswick; Kerry Skelton, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Facilities and Asset Management; and MDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note.
“GSA strives to build federal buildings that are vital parts of the communities they inhabit and we’re celebrating that at the Madawaska land port of entry,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “This $73 million project is a prime example of that: strengthening our infrastructure, bolstering our national security and economy, increasing sustainability and efficiency, and revitalizing the human connections between communities.”
The new state-of-the-art port is an energy efficient, sustainable, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED® Gold & SITES™ Silver certified facility that offers high end technology for the CBP officers stationed there. The main port building and commercial inspection building will house administration, training, staff, and staff support, as well as processing, inspection, enforcement, agricultural inspection, and building support.
“The Madawaska International Bridge is a crucial link between Madawaska and Edmundston, but for years Madawaska residents and businesses were forced to contend with a deteriorating structure that experienced routine closures and posed a danger to travelers, commuters, and businesses” said Senator Collins. “With this modern facility, a new bridge, and the continued dedication of those who work here, the State of Maine’s new front door will be safe, secure, and welcoming.”
“The successes of both the United States and Canada have always been closely tied to one another,” said Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Co-Chair of the American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus. “Our neighbors to the north are an integral part of our shared prosperity and sense of community— from trade to national security to tourism and cultural connections. The St. John River, running between our borders, is a shared link that also reaffirms our two nation’s strong alliance. After nearly a century, it is time to revitalize the existing infrastructure and usher in a new era of connectivity. This new state-of-the-art port of entry in Madawaska is not only critical to the communities within the St. John Valley but
throughout the state and beyond.”
“For more than 100 years, a bridge over the St. John River has connected not just two communities, but two nations,” Congressman Jared Golden, Maine CD-2, said. “The new bridge and Land Port of Entry bring improvements and efficiencies to safely and securely connect workers to jobs, businesses to raw materials and customers, emergency services to those who need them, and people to their friends and families over the border.”
“This bridge is more than just a piece of infrastructure,” said New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs. “It is an important link that brings communities, and countries, together. It will help us to maintain our Canada-U.S. connections with an important transportation and trade link between New Brunswick and Maine, benefiting communities on both sides of the border.”
“The Edmundston-Madawaska border crossing has connected friends and families for generations,” said René Arseneault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska – Restigouche, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs. “This project represents the essence of the Canada-U.S. relationship: collaboration between partners and our commitment to the protection and prosperity of our citizens. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to thank all those involved for your hard work and dedication.”
“Land ports are not just typical workspaces, but rather an integral part of the trade and travel network that also serve as social and economic gateways between nations” said Kerry Skelton, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Facilities and Asset Management. “The new Madawaska border crossing will facilitate economic development and growth by supporting the larger volumes of commercial and non- commercial traffic traversing the new international bridge.”
On June 6, 2024, the new Madawaska Land Port of Entry in Maine and the international bridge opened for traffic. This marked the substantial completion of a decades-long project intended to facilitate economic, cultural and familial connections throughout the St. John Valley. The new port is a vital link for those that live in the region and depend on this cross-border community engagement, often crossing through the port daily for jobs and commerce.
The new international bridge is built on a new alignment, crossing the St. John River approximately 1,400 feet upstream from the old bridge on the U.S. side and tying into the existing New Brunswick port facility on the Canadian side. The bridge features wider travel lanes and added shoulders on both sides. There is a raised sidewalk on the downstream side of the new bridge. The bridge is designed to last 100 years.
“This new bridge is a tangible connection that joins people, commerce, and cultures,” said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. “The team at MaineDOT is proud of what we’ve accomplished with our partners at all levels of government on both sides of the international border. This bridge has been designed and built to provide a safe and reliable connection between Madawaska and Edmundston for the next 100 years.”
This project will facilitate economic, cultural and familial connections. The people who live along the border depend on this cross-border community engagement, often crossing through the port daily for jobs and mutual aid.
Other officials attending included Erin O’Gorman, President, CBSA; Eric Marquis, Mayor of Edmundston; Francine Landry, MLA of Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston; Jean-Claude D’Amours, MLA of Edmundston-Madawaska Centre; Patricia Bernard, Chief of the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation; David Daigle, Madawaska Town Manager; The Honourable Pierrette Ringuette, New Brunswick Senator; Richard Ames, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure; Glenn C. Rotondo, GSA Region One Public Buildings Service Commissioner; and GSA Regional Administrator for the New England, Northeast and Caribbean Regions Francis Thomas.
Media Contact: Paul Hughes 617-283-6142 paul.hughes@gsa.gov
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About GSA:
GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing over $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.