Commercial port could open in December or January

Work on Mexico's portion of a commercial border crossing at San Luis, Ariz., will be done in time for it to open to traffic in December or January, according to an official overseeing work on the Mexican side.

Delays in construction have pushed back completion of construction until the last day of November, according to Enrique Orozco, director of International Industrial Park in San Luis Rio Colorado, Son.

Once completed and linked to the area service highway in Yuma County, the commercial port of entry is expected to speed up the flow of commercial truck traffic between the United States and Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Currently, commercial traffic is routed through the U.S. Port of Entry in San Luis. Once the commercial port five miles to the east is open, that existing port will be reserved for private vehicles and pedestrians.

The commercial port will consist of a gate and complementary buildings on the U.S. and Mexican side of the border to allow customs officials from both countries to process vehicles traveling in both directions.

Construction of the American portion is under way, but the port can't open to traffic until work on both sides is completed.

Traffic from Mexico will access the area service highway, also known as the Robert A. Vaughan Expressway and State Route 195, which will link up with Interstate 8 at Araby Road.

"It is not easy to coordinate work between two countries, but the work will run simultaneously on both sides," Orozco said.