U.S. General Services Administration
R7 Public Affairs Officer
Jorge Pineda
Bridge of the Americas Land Port of Entry
Built in 1967, the BOTA LPOE is located on the international border separating El Paso, TX, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, MX. This land port connects with the Mexican land port of “Cordova” in Juarez, Chihuahua, MX, and is one of four crossings in El Paso. The port processes toll-free inbound and outbound commercial, non-commercial, and pedestrian traffic. As a result, the volume of traffic is heavy with many travelers and commercial vehicles choosing to enter and exit through this facility in lieu of paying a toll.
Much of the port facility has reached the end of its life cycle as most of the buildings and infrastructure are operating at or beyond capacity no longer meeting the U.S. Customs and Border Protection current design standards. Being the only toll-free port of entry in El Paso, an increase in truck and vehicular traffic over the last few years has created significant congestion making it difficult to support this increased volume of traffic.
The BOTA LPOE sits on approximately 28 acres of fully developed property surrounded on three sides by an extensive highway system.
LPOE details
Address: 3600 E Paisano Dr, El Paso, TX 79905
Year constructed: 1967
Port size: 28 Acres
Budget: $650–$700 million
Primary tenants:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
FDA
Department of Transportation
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Current status
An Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act is in progress. The EIS will identify, describe, and analyze the potential effects of the proposed alternatives. At the conclusion of the scoping process, a draft EIS will be prepared and will be open to public comments. After the final EIS is published, a minimum 30-day waiting period is required before a decision is announced in a Record of Decision. The ROD notifies the public of the decision made on the proposed action and presents the reasons for that decision. No action can be taken until the decision has been made public.
Environmental review
We are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze potential environmental impacts from the proposed modernization of the Bridge of the Americas Land Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas.
Sept. 20, 2024: Draft EIS Released
- BOTA Draft EIS [PDF - 19 MB]
- BOTA Draft EIS Appendices Part 1 [PDF - 23 MB]
- BOTA Draft EIS Appendices Part 2 [PDF - 11 MB]
- BOTA Draft EIS Appendix B Part 1 [PDF - 25 MB]
- BOTA Draft EIS Appendix B Part 2 [PDF - 1 MB]
- BOTA Draft EIS Appendix B Part 3 [PDF - 16 MB]
(Note: Appendix I will be available soon. Please check back soon)
The draft EIS is now available for the comment period ending Dec. 1. Comments can be submitted through the following methods:
Email: BOTA.nepacomments@gsa.gov
Must include “BOTA LPOE Draft EIS” in the subject line.
Mail:
U.S. General Services Administration
Attention: Karla Carmichael, NEPA Program Manager
819 Taylor St, Room 12-B
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Comments must be received by Dec. 1, 2024, at 11.59 p.m. CST to be considered by GSA.
Project timeline
| Planning | Design | Construction |
|---|---|---|
Enhanced feasibility study Environmental and site needs | Award | Start Substantial completion |
SAM.gov
Find out more by visiting the design/build contract page.
Local updates
GSA is extending the comment period for the draft Environmental Impact Statement regarding the BOTA port modernization project to Dec. 1. We appreciate the extensive amount of input we have received so far. It’s important to note that the final EIS is one of several key factors that federal decision-makers will consider when making the Record of Decision for the project. We encourage all stakeholders to continue sharing their insights.
On Sept. 20, 2024, GSA released the draft EIS (document is available in the Environmental Review section below). Comments can be submitted through the following methods:
Email: BOTA.nepacomments@gsa.gov
Must include “BOTA LPOE Draft EIS” in the subject line.
Mail:
U.S. General Services Administration
Attention: Karla Carmichael, NEPA Program Manager
819 Taylor St, Room 12-B
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Comments must be received by Dec. 1, 2024, at 11.59 p.m. CST to be considered by GSA.
Project news
Oct. 17, 2024
Community Meeting Presentation (October 2024) [PDF - 4 MB]
Oct. 9, 2024
GSA to host public meeting on the Bridge of the Americas port modernization
Sept. 20, 2024
GSA releases draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Bridge of the Americas port project in El Paso.
June 26, 2024
Community Engagement Meeting Presentation (June 2024) [PDF - 6 MB]
April 2024
GSA signs Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the International Boundary and Water Commission as cooperating agencies for NEPA compliance.
Dec. 13, 2023
NEPA Comment Sheet [DOCX - 44 KB]
NEPA 12-13 Meeting Presentation [PDF - 6 MB]
Aug. 17, 2023
Community Engagement Meeting Presentation [PDF - 13 MB]
Community Engagement Meeting Presentation — Renderings [PDF - 16 MB]
Aug. 16, 2023
GSA Holds Community Engagement Meeting for the BOTA Modernization Project [PDF - 13 MB]
June 6, 2023
BOTA Enhanced Feasibility Study Submission Map [PDF - 153 KB]
April 4, 2023
Community Engagement Meeting Presentation [PDF - 37 MB]
Nov. 10, 2022
Biden-Harris administration announces $820,000 contract award for BIL project
Nov. 10, 2022
Biden-Harris administration announces BIL awards at three Texas land ports
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
GSA received $3.4 billion to invest in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The law provides funding for LPOE modernization projects that will create new good-paying jobs, bolster safety and security, and make our economy more resilient to supply chain challenges — all while serving as models for sustainability and innovation.
Visit the Texas LPOE page for an overview of BIL projects there, as well as priorities, benefits and further information.
Sustainability opportunities
GSA will increase energy and water efficiency (including renewable energy and fossil fuel free measures), adhere to sustainable design principles, and minimize climate risk liabilities above the minimum performance criteria in a manner that is life cycle cost-effective.
- Net-zero ready
- 80% fossil fuel-energy generated reduction
- Green Proving Ground technology
- LEED Gold/SITES Silver
- Whole-building embodied carbon reduction
Community impact
GSA will fully modernize the port with a new administration building, new pedestrian processing lanes, new primary building, new passenger vehicle lanes, and new commercial vehicle inspection area. The project will help improve traffic flow and border security while decreasing wait times for travelers.