As county officials are pushing the federal government to make the completion of the Tornillo-Guadalupe Port of Entry a priority, Mexican officials say they hope to start their part of the project in May.
Eighteen months have passed since the construction of the $133 million, six-lane international bridge started in the Lower Valley.
Most of the bridge structure has gone up since then. Construction crews are ready to pour the concrete on it next week, while electricians and plumbers are working on the foundation of four tollbooths.
Almost 60 percent of the inspection facilities has been completed, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.
However, Mexico has not started its part yet.
Engineer Oscar Garcia Malo, vice president of public works for the national Department of Communications and Transport in Chihuahua, said construction of the Tornillo port of entry has been delayed due to funding allocation issues and changes in the federal administration.
Garcia Malo said because Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto succeeded Felipe Calderón in December, new directors have been appointed to the department. He expects to begin construction sometime in May or June.
Construction of the Mexican side of the port of entry and an access road will cost about $200 million pesos, or $15.7 million, Garcia Malo said. The cost of the bridge alone will be about $90 million pesos, or $7 million.
El Paso County Commissioner Vince Perez has been meeting with county lobbyists and U.S. federal officials in an effort to bring awareness of the importance of the finalization of the bridge.
Perez said while the county has met its deadlines, Mexico has not complied. The county is in charge of building the bridge and the tollbooths.
"My job as commissioner is to do all the work that I can to make our federal representatives aware that this is a priority," Perez said. "I'm confident Mexico will fulfill its obligation, I just hope everybody is on the same page in terms of conveying that message to Mexico."
The fact that the federal government has invested more than $92 million in the project gives people some reassurance that the project won't die, Perez added.
Rebecca Acuña, a spokeswoman for Congressman Pete Gallego, said he is working on scheduling a meeting with the Department of State to have a better idea of what is happening on the Mexican side.
"We continue to work with them through various bilateral forums on this important binational project," Tina Jaegerman, a spokeswoman for the General Services Administration, said in a written statement.
Jaegerman said the GSA plans on finishing the non-commercial inspection facility, which includes pedestrians, passenger vehicles, small vans and pickup trucks, in September and the commercial inspection facility in December.
Garcia Malo said he understands the concerns of U.S. officials and acknowledged Mexico is behind schedule. But he said Mexico will study all options to speed up the completion of the project.
"We are committed to finish the work," Garcia Malo said.
In addition to the bridge, Mexico plans to build a roadway network to facilitate traffic on its side.
Engineer Everardo Medina, vice secretary of communications and public works for the state of Chihuahua, said the idea is to build a road from the Chihuahua-Juárez highway to the new port of entry without having commercial traffic go through the city. It will be similar to the road that connects the Chihuahua-Juárez highway to the Santa Teresa Port of Entry.
The project will be built by the state with federal funds, he said.
"We know that we will resume the plans," Medina said. "This has to continue because as government of the state, we are very interested."
On the U.S. side, County Road and Bridge Director Ernie Carrizal said the county is working on a roadway to connect the port of entry to Interstate 10.
The first phase of the road, from the port of entry to Alameda Avenue, is almost completed, while an environmental study has to be done to apply for funds to complete the second phase of the roadway from Alameda to I-10.