Committee recommends neon open/closed signage at primary booths; staff says under budget threshold

The Port of Entry Advisory Committee recommended asking the mayor and city council to approve neon "open/closed" signage at the primary booths at the World Trade Bridge to make booth status more visible to arriving truckers. Staff said U.S. Customs and Border Protection has indicated support for signage that also denotes unified cargo processing (UCP) status where applicable. Why it matters: Committee members and staff said clearer booth signals could reduce confusion at primary inspection lanes and help drivers know whether lanes are open for general processing or specific functions such as UCP. Better visibility could help traffic flow and reduce unnecessary queuing. Staff told the committee the signs would be installed on city property and could be synchronized with the toll vendor and CBP controls. The city can proceed without a council item if the cost stays under $50,000; staff said council approval would only be required if the project exceeds that threshold. Committee members discussed whether CBP should pay; staff replied the signs are city property and the department can fund them within the port signage budget if the price remains below the council-approval threshold. The committee asked staff to coordinate with CBP and the toll system vendor to ensure the signs can be synchronized with lane controls and to return with cost estimates and an installation schedule. Staff noted that signage that also indicates whether a lane is open for unified cargo processing (UCP) could be added if CBP agrees.