Construction to begin soon on new San Luis port

FOX 9's Adam Klepp spoke to a San Luis City Council member who said the project will bring an economic boost to San Luis

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - It’s a project ten years in the making, as more than $100 million federal dollars are now being allocated to build a new port of entry in San Luis.

The new port aims to increase the city’s capacity to handle trade and local traffic.

San Luis city council member Matias Rosales says the project will take three to five years to complete, bringing business to Yuma county, and jobs to San Luis.

“People have to eat, we’re going to get the business, the Walmart, our restaurants, our stores, it’s a domino effect that will bring a lot of impact to us,” Rosales said.

Arizona senator Krysten Sinema was part of the effort to get the bill passed, and she talked about the benefits of the port improvements during her visit to Yuma on Wednesday.

“It will keep bringing goods into our country, and protect us from people seeking to do bad,” Sinema said.

Rosales said the new construction will double the lane capacity at the port to decrease wait times.

“The idea of the new port of entry with the full funding is supposed to be an increase of 16 lanes of traffic,” Rosales said.

He added the plan is to work in phases to complete the new port as efficiently as possible, but said border crossers could encounter some delays with the planned project.

“The idea is to avoid the impact on wait times but construction is construction, so there will be growing pains,” Rosales said.

In addition to the San Luis port, the Calexico West port of entry is receiving $100 million to complete its own modernization project, in an effort to lower wait times there.