The El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) presented a planned International Border Crossing Strategic Plan to the New Mexico legislative subcommittee, saying the region must treat its crossings as a single system rather than separate facilities.

"If we look at them as a system, what efficiencies can we find?" Eduardo Calvo, executive director of the El Paso MPO, asked the committee. Calvo said the MPO will run modeling scenarios to forecast where traffic will shift if the Bridge of the Americas closes to commercial traffic and to identify hotspots where intersections and local streets will need upgrades.

The plan will evaluate six crossings in the MPO region, coordinate U.S., Texas and New Mexico agencies and involve Mexican partners including Ciudad Juárez, Calvo said. He described a kickoff meeting planned for Aug. 6 at El Chamizal and a schedule to develop draft recommendations by September and finalize work in November, with stakeholder work groups and scenario modeling in the intervening months.

Why it matters: the MPO emphasized that ownership and control of individual crossings (federal, municipal and county ownership across jurisdictions) complicates systemwide planning, and that without a prioritized list of projects the region will struggle to compete for limited federal funding. Calvo urged New Mexico legislators to participate and support coordinated regional priorities.

Ending: The MPO said the study will include Columbus and other New Mexico crossings at local request, and will explicitly model the commercial traffic shifts expected after the announced closure of the Bridge of the Americas to commercial vehicles beginning in 2027.