By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
The U.S. General Services Administration has announced commercial inspections at the U.S.-Mexico border at Douglas will relocate from the existing Raul H. Castro Land Port of Entry to a new facility 4.5 miles away once it is built.
News reports say the Castro POE only has five inspection bays and cannot meet the needs of Customs and Border Protection. GSA will work to construct the new POE while simultaneously modernizing and renovating Castro.
The decision comes after a nearly two-year environmental review of the new location.
The new port will be funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and will cost between $170M and $220M, according to reports. When completed, it will serve as the new permanent home for commercial inspections.
According to the description in the DATABEX project database, the project consists of: “A new commercial port which includes construction of a Main Building, Commercial Primary Inspection Lanes, Commercial Inspection Building and Loading Docks, Vehicle Exit Booth, Kennel Building, Vault, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Facility, and Firearms Simulation Building, totaling approximately 180,000 gross square footage.”
Douglas Mayor Donald Huish told a local news outlet plans have been in the works for between 15 and 20 years. Trucks currently using the Castro POE have to make a 90-degree turn to enter the facility for inspection, causing frequent traffic backups on the Mexico side and forcing hazardous materials transporters to travel through the town, itself.
In addition to improving processing at the ports, Huish expects additional economic development activity in terms of hospitality and supporting services for travelers.
BEX researchers have confirmed there is no contractor award in place as of June 26. They spoke with sources close to the project who said a contractor award is expected this fall. GSA officials confirmed to area news outlets construction is planned to begin in the spring.
No Funding for Connector Road Yet
In related news, a connector road that will serve as the thoroughfare for trucks at the new port to the state highway system has not yet been funded and is not part of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s five-year facilities construction plan, according to news reports.
The planned connector is currently included only as an “illustrative project” for fiscal year 2027, according to ADOT officials. That means it is a candidate for inclusion in the plan when and if funding becomes available. Officials say funding will be prioritized with other transportation needs through the construction programming process.
ADOT is currently preparing a design concept report and environmental assessment for the connector in cooperation with the City of Douglas, Cochise County and the Federal Highway Administration. There are three potential routes under consideration, each of which starts at State Route 80.
