Sheriff’s Office says “no parking” signs near Tornillo POE are working, county to install more signs

The County is expanding and modifying existing efforts to enforce parking and keep streets clear around the Tornillo Port of Entry in the lower valley.

The area had been clogged by used and junked cars waiting to be exported into Mexico. New regulations in Mexico limit the amounts of cars that can be imported on a daily basis and this has resulted in cars backing up on the American side of the port of entry.

Residents began complaining of hundreds of cars lining the roads near their homes and farms in the lower valley some weeks ago earlier this summer.

“No Parking” signs have been installed in the streets highlighted in red in the map below. Additional “no parking signs” will be installed along the portion of highway highlighted in blue. The road in green is where “7 a.m. to 12 p.m.” parking signs will be installed.

“We’re allowing parking on (a) certain designated stretch of the roadway from 7 am to noon in order to facilitate the export process,” said Lt. Ryan Urrutia from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Clint patrol station. “The additional signage will also prohibit parking from Lower Island Road on MF Aguilera (Highway) to Alameda (Avenue). So that added an additional 1.7 miles worth of no parking signage.”

The county has already placed 35 no parking signs on main roads and neighborhood streets around the port of entry, and will be modifying some to allow for limited parking. 35 additional “no parking” signs will be added as part of the extension.

“The signage has helped us manage the parking issue out there,” Urrutia said. “Essentially what we had turned into was a giant parking lot, which we needed 48 hours for that vehicle to be left there in order to remove it from the roadway.

Urrutia said that about 200 cars are still showing up at the port of entry every morning. Those who are not able to get across, leave and come back the next day. Many of the problems of cars being left unattended on the roadside for days have gone away, Urrutia said.

“Now what’s happening is everyone is showing up with proper documentation, ready for export,” Urrutia said.