Federal officials' recommendation to prohibit tractor-trailers from using the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso, Texas, has sparked backlash from the trade community.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has suggested banning all cargo traffic at the Bridge of the Americas as part of a $700 million project aimed at enhancing infrastructure for the 57-year-old bridge.
El Paso has two international bridges that accommodate commercial trucks: the Bridge of the Americas and the Ysleta-Zaragoza International Bridge.
Currently, approximately 500 northbound cargo trucks cross the Bridge of the Americas daily, while the Ysleta-Zaragoza International Bridge handles over 1,200 trucks each day.
Located just across the border from El Paso, Juarez is home to around 300 maquiladoras—export factories operated by foreign companies—employing more than 313,000 workers, according to the Maquiladora Association of Juarez (AMAC). The U.S. market represents 95% of imports from Juarez to El Paso, as reported by AMAC. | 