Police chief seeks shorter lines into Mexico

SAN LUIS, Ariz. — Police Chief Rick Flores says he will meet with Mexican customs officials to discuss ways to speed the flow of traffic that now backs up into the Arizona border city while waiting to enter Mexico.

Lines of Mexico-bound vehicles are causing congestion in San Luis, owing in part to the SIAVE border inspection program put in place by the Mexican government in late 2009 at the port of entry at San Luis Rio Colorado, Son., to stop the southbound flows of illegal weapons, cash and other contraband, Flores said. The program makes use of new equipment such as vehicle scales, cameras and gates that hold vehicles in place while they are weighed.

"We want the people to know that the issue is not on this side, but at the port of entry of San Luis (Rio Colorado)," Flores said. "Each time the gate goes down, it takes from 15 to 20 seconds and it's causing traffic congestion."

Delays also stem from Mexican soldiers who are sometimes present to inspect incoming vehicles, Flores said. "We know that the army is there, checking for weapons, money and ammunition. When they're there, the traffic is worse.

"The line is getting longer, and we're afraid that there are going to be accidents, because people are getting angry" over congestion, Flores added. "We are going to work with them, but we want the people to know that we are trying to improve the traffic situation here."

The vehicles back up on Main Street, the street in San Luis that leads south to Mexico. Flores said officers will be assigned to control traffic so that motorists on intersecting streets can periodically cross Main on their way east and west.

He added the department will boost the presence of officers around nearby schools to make sure motorists aren't exceeding the 15-mph zones.

The SIAVE program previously prompted complaints of traffic backups in Calexico, Calif., and in San Diego.

The Mexican government has been putting the program in place at border crossings as part of efforts to keep weapons and large sums of cash out of the hands of drug cartels that the nation's army and police agencies have been battling.