International Bridges
Mission:
The mission of the International Bridges Department is to provide cross-border mobility and on street parking services to residents, businesses, and visitors so that they can participate in the vitality of the greater Paso del Norte region.
About the bridges:
The City of El Paso International Bridges Department manages three of the region's international ports of entry- the Paso Del Norte, Stanton and Zaragoza. The border crossings connect El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, the world's largest international border metroplex.The U.S. sides of these ports of entry are owned by the City of El Paso and they operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In 2011, more than 3.6 million passenger vehicles, 4.2 million pedestrians and 300,000 commercial vehicles crossed into Ciudad Juárez through the three bridges.
The mission of the International Bridges Department is to provide cross-border mobility and on-street parking services to residents, businesses, and visitors so that they can participate in the vitality of the greater Paso Del Norte region
All Lanes Open
ENHANCED INSPECTION SERVICES
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through an agreement with the City of El Paso has been providing enhanced inspection services since January 26, 2014, to better facilitate trade and travel and reduce border wait times. The agreement allows CBP to provide additional staffing to open all lanes during designated holidays and peak travel periods.
PASO DEL NORTE (PDN) PORT OF ENTRY
PEDESTRIAN LANES
Mondays: Seven (7) Pedestrian Lanes Open
- 6 AM to 10 AM (Extended inspections currently provided by CBP)
- 10 AM to Noon (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLE LANES
(LANES FOR PRIVATELY-OWNED VEHICLES FOR PERSONAL USE)
Saturdays: Six (6) Vehicle Lanes Open
- 10 AM to 2 PM (Extended inspections currently provided by CBP)
- 2 PM to 6 PM (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
Sundays: Six (6) Vehicle Lanes Open
- 2 PM to 6 PM (Extended inspections currently provided by CBP)
- 10 PM to Midnight (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
YSLETA PORT OF ENTRY (ALSO KNOWN AS ZARAGOZA)
NON-COMMERCIAL LANES
(LANES FOR PRIVATELY-OWNED VEHICLES FOR PERSONAL USE)
Saturdays: Six (6) Vehicle Lanes Open
- 10 AM to 2 PM (Extended inspections currently provided by CBP)
- 2 PM to 6 PM (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
Sundays: Six (6) Vehicle Lanes Open
- 2 PM to 6 PM (Extended inspections currently provided by CBP)
- 10 PM to Midnight (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
COMMERCIAL LANES
Wednesdays: One (1) Extra Lane Open
- Noon to 2 PM (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
Fridays: One (1) Extra Lane Open
- Noon to 2 PM (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
Saturdays: One (1) Extra Lane Open
- Noon to 2 PM (Extended inspections funded by City of El Paso)
Traveler Info
Important Information for Travelers
Please visit GetYouHome.gov for important travel information from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP provides critical information to travelers planning to enter or exit the United States.
Ready Lane information comprises a key section of the site. Ready Lanes are dedicated vehicle processing lanes for travelers using Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)-compliant, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled documents. Travelers properly using RFID-enabled documents may experience expedited border crossing and shorter wait times.
Wait Times
WEBSITE OFFERS ACTUAL BORDER CROSSING WAIT TIMES
Get timely and accurate data regarding border crossing wait times at http://bcis.tamu.edu.
The website, a user interface for the Border Crossing Information System (BCIS), provides actual border crossing wait times for passenger and commercial vehicles entering the United States through the Ysleta Port of Entry, also known as the Zaragoza bridge. Drivers can also subscribe to an RSS feed for wait times.
TUNE INTO AM 530
FOR BORDER CROSSING INFORMATION
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a pilot AM radio broadcast system designed to better inform the border crossing public. CBP has installed AM radio frequency transmitters at the Ysleta port of entry in order to communicate important border crossing information to travelers.
The 10-watt signal for the Ysleta port of entry can be found on AM 530 and has a range of several miles in any direction from the border crossing.
Information broadcasts include reminders of document requirements and how to use high-tech travel cards; information about CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs; basic border crossing rules and regulations; and port of entry emergency travel information and/or updates.
CBP Launches Second El Paso AM Radio Station
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has introduced a second AM radio broadcast system at the El Paso port of entry. The newest radio station is located at the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA). The public can tune into the 10-watt signal at AM 1620.
Ports of Entry
The Paso del Norte Bridge also known as the “Santa Fe Street Bridge” is located at 1000 S. El Paso Street.
The Stanton Street Bridge, located at 1001 S. Stanton, was constructed in the 1800s. It is known as the “Good Neighbor Bridge” and is also referred to as the “Friendship Bridge.”
The Stanton bridge is also used as a pedestrian crossing into Ciudad Juárez. Buses also use the Stanton bridge for southbound travel.
The Ysleta Bridge, also commonly known as the "Zaragoza Bridge," is located at 791 S. Zaragoza. This bridge was originally constructed in 1938. It has since been rebuilt and undergone renovations.
The most recent renovations were completed in 1990, when it was converted into two bridges. One bridge serves commercial vehicle traffic and the other is designated for passenger vehicle traffic and pedestrians.
The passenger vehicle bridge has five lanes; 2 southbound lanes, 2 northbound lanes and 1 SENTRI or dedicated commuter lane (DCL). The commercial bridge has currently four lanes, two southbound, one northbound and one northbound FAST (Free and Secure Trade) lane. Plans are underway to increase the number of lanes without increasing the bridge width. The redesign will allow the commercial bridge to accommodate two southbound lanes, two northbound lanes and one dedicated FAST lane.