El Paso International Bridges’ FY2024 Budget Tops $28.1M

El Paso’s International Bridges Department is in a continual process of improving technology to quicken movement along three international ports of entry and within the city.

International Bridges is the department overseeing these bridges and has a total budget of $28.1 million generated from enterprise funds. One of the city’s strategic actions is to create an International Bridges Capital Improvement Plan, according to the FY2024 budget.

As of Aug. 31, 2023, the city upgraded all its parking meters to 5G, grew its parking meters mobile app and enhanced the website that forecasts border crossing wait times.

This year’s deliverables include upgrades to:

• Toll collection systems
• Dynamic messaging signs
• Traffic cameras and counters 
• “Wait-time collection devices” at two bridges
• Parking website design and launch
• New sensor technology 

Of note, El Paso’s three city-owned bridges are part of Texas’ 29 official ports of entry that bring $740 billion to the state economy each year.