City Rep. Pushes To Toll International Bridge

In the heels of the city council approving a slight tax increase, one city representative is pushing an effort to toll commuters at the free international bridge in El Paso. Cortney Niland said the city should be looking at other sources of revenue, instead of tax-payer’s pockets.

That’s why she’s directed the city manager to work with the Federal and Mexican governments to see if the city can find a way to toll at the Bridge of the Americas (BOTA) in Central El Paso.

Although the Chamizal treaty specifies that crossing that bridge shall remain free, Niland said she believes that can be changed. It’s an ambitious bureaucratic undertaking that requires a presidential treaty between Mexico and U.S.

According to a city study, charging up to a couple of dollars at the bridge could revenue the city about $12 million every year.

“If we worked with the Mexican government and the federal government, to try and work toward some sort of agreement where we could actually have a bridge that people pay for the services. I mean we have to pay for the capital expenditures of the streets that are impacted by those roads so I’m just asking for everyone to pay for their fair share,” said Niland.

The city rep. said most of the traffic passing through the BOTA is commercial. The city sites $69 billion worth of trade coming into the U.S. annually from local ports of entry and Niland said she’s aware of some trade organizations being wary of her plan.

“I certainly don’t want to hurt business, that is not why I am here, I’m here to help but I feel like if we can improve efficiency and get that $ 69 billionworth of trade over here faster – time’s money,” she said in an interview.

She said that the business community may jump on board once they see the toll money could pay for more efficient bridge infrastructure and improve international mobility.

“If actually those funds were used to improve the infrastructure, maybe give us a new port of entry. Also provide amenities and service lanes to help improve them and their efficiency in crossing that trade — they’re willing to pay for those services,” Niland said.

The new city representative’s efforts come as the city on Tuesday approved $457,000 in improvements at the Stanton and Paso Del Norte bridges located downtown.

According to a city spokeswoman and Niland, the money will be used to upgrade a proposed ticket vending machine at a new pedestrian toll system, new metal fencing, shade canopies, bathrooms, and art installations.

The funds come from a state infrastructure loan the city will have to pay back with current bridge revenues, said Tammy Fonce Olivas, a city spokeswoman.