Bridge of the Americas
Key Concern
- No economic impact study was conducted during the NEPA review process
- GSA’s decision does not fully account for the potential impacts on trade, supply chains, jobs, and the regional economy
- The Chamber is seeking federal reconsideration, supported by findings from an independent economic impact study commissioned by the Chamber and conducted by the Hunt Institute
Bridge of the Americas (El Paso–Ciudad Juárez)
Why BOTA and the El Paso Region Matter
- Total imports and exports in the region have roughly doubled since 2020
- BOTA is the region’s only toll-free port and is critical to manufacturing supply chains
- BOTA handled $12 billion in two-way truck trade in 2025
- BOTA ranked second among major U.S.–Mexico border PoEs in both truck export value and commercial truck crossing growth¹
¹ Reporting time: June 2024-May 2025 and June 2025-May 2026
What is at Risk
- 10.9% of commercial trade could leak to other border regions²
- $36.6B in forgone truck trade in 2036 alone ²
- $2.3B loss in economic output (2028-2036) ²
- 9,529 job-years and $600.7M in labor income loss (2028-2036) ²
² Hunt Institute, BOTA Modernization: Economic and Trade Effects in El Paso County (August 2026)
An aerial view of the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso, Texas. Photo by James Tourtellotte.
Regional Consequences
- Increased strain on other ports of entry (Tornillo, Ysleta-Zaragoza, and Santa Teresa)
- As commercial traffic shifts to other ports of entry, overall regional emissions are projected to increase, including a moderate-to-significant increase in emissions at Ysleta-Zaragoza
- Reduced competitiveness and long-term investment in El Paso
- Without the expansion of other ports, the region is expected to reach operational capacity in 2034. BOTA’s closure would accelerate this timeline to 2031
Path Forward
The El Paso Chamber is calling on local, state, and federal officials to use the data contained in this study to reevaluate Alternative 4 and pause its implementation. The Chamber urges officials to evaluate alternatives that address BOTA's infrastructure and safety needs while maintaining commercial operations and protecting this investment for our region.
See What's at Stake.
Read the Full Report.
El Paso Chamber BOTA Advocacy Timeline
- November 10, 2022 - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocates $600M to modernize BOTA
- August 30, 2023 - El Paso Chamber proposes a new solution to the BOTA Land Port of Entry Modernization in favor of preserving commercial traffic
- May 23, 2024 - El Paso Chamber submits a position letter to the General Services Administration (GSA) advocating for a data-driven evaluation of BOTA modernization alternatives to mitigate impacts on regional commercial traffic
- November 1, 2024 - El Paso Chamber provides a letter to the GSA requesting a 30-day extension of its comment period to allow for further analysis on impacts to the environment and regional commerce
- December 2, 2024 - El Paso Chamber, in collaboration with the Borderplex Alliance, the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Desarrollo Económico de Ciudad Juárez, CANACINTRA, and COPARMEX, submits a joint position letter alongside 36 individual letters from regional businesses and organizations to the GSA during its extended comment period in favor of preserving commercial traffic at BOTA
- January 2025 - GSA publishes its final Environmental Impact Statement
- February 3, 2025 - El Paso Chamber sends a letter in opposition to GSA’s recommendation to eliminate commercial traffic at BOTA
- May 2025 - GSA issues record of decision to remove commercial traffic from BOTA
- June 24, 2025 - U.S. Senator John Cornyn sends a letter to GSA leadership asking for reconsideration
- September 2025 – El Paso Chamber BOTA Coalition formed with
- January 2026 – El Paso Chamber travels to Washington, D.C., for meetings with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), GSA, Texas Senators, and Texas Congressional Representatives
- January 2026 - GSA Publishes BOTA Request for Proposals (RFP)
- February 2026 – El Paso Chamber collects 250+ letters of support from local, state, and national-level businesses and organizations to governmental organizations
- February and March 2026 – El Paso Chamber continues to engage with CBP, local elected officials, and the BOTA Coalition
- March 2026 – El Paso Chamber commissions an independent economic impact study conducted by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness at the University of Texas at El Paso
- April 2026 – El Paso Chamber travels to Washington, D.C., to meet with CBP, Texas Senators, GSA, and White House Offices
- May 2026 – El Paso Chamber meets with CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott in both Washington, D.C., and El Paso, Texas
- June 2026 – El Paso Chamber meets with Texas Transportation Commissioner Pat Gordon
- May, June, and July 2026 – El Paso Chamber holds a series of town hall meetings in El Paso, Texas, with its partners, Chamber members, and local businesses to discuss its advocacy Efforts
- July 2026 – El Paso Chamber holds a series of town hall meetings in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, with Mexican trade organizations to discuss its advocacy efforts, including CANACINTRA, COPARMEX, and Desarrollo Económico de Ciudad Juárez
- August 2026 – El Paso Chamber engages with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to explore alternatives
- September 2026 – El Paso Chamber releases the completed economic impact study, “BOTA Modernization: Economic and Trade Effects in El Paso County”, to the public, press, and local, state, and federal stakeholders
El Paso business leaders and El Paso Chamber executives meet Wednesday with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to discuss plans to modernize the Bridge of the Americas. From left: Lane Gaddy, Alan Russell, Paul Dipp, Ricardo Mora, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Paul Foster, and Woody Hunt
BOTA Coalition
