Work begins at commercial entry port in Mexico

San Luis Rio Colorado, Son. — "Work initiates this week in the new commercial port of entry in San Luis. The commercial port will allow for faster expedition of vehicles transporting merchandise to the United States," according to Enrique Orozco, President of the International Industrial Park in charge of followup on the project.
 
Orozco said that up to now work was limited to calculations and measurements, but now they will actually be observing machinery moving dirt where the customs offices will be built.
 
"On the Mexican side, the time for construction is much shorter than the United States project," he said. "In the U.S. there are many security issues that have to be dealt with. We projected our project would take approximately nine months, which means it should be done by August of 2009; in time for the inauguration scheduled for September for the U.S. side," he said.
 
He said the timelines are established so that both sides of the port of entry are ready for operations simultaneously.
 
However, he said the cost of the project shot up to over $8 million, about $1 million more than was budgeted last year, when the project was presented. Such an increase is due to the jump in price for metals, iron and the recent devaluation of the peso compared to the dollar.
 
The first phase of the project consists of a five-lane bridge over the San Luis-Sonoita Highway, and will end with the installation of customs offices on the southern part of the border.
 
The construction is being done by Constructora y Concesionaria del Puente Internacional Cucapah, who has the bid and will be responsible for 30 years.