U.S. - Mexico
Border Program

January 2021

Texas/New Mexico/Chihuahua/Coahuila/Nuevo Leon/Tarnaulipas

www.epa.gov/usmexicoborder

Population growth along the US-Mexico Border
has been significant in recent decades. This
growth has added pressure and directly
affected various transboundary environmental
systems such as airsheds and watersheds
between the two countries. Air quality has
been impacted by not only
industries/maquiladoras found in the border
area, but commercial and passenger traffic
going back and forth between both countries.
Border crossings have severe congestion
conditions generated by the safety procedures,
infrastructure and mode of transport of
recurring travelers.

The Institute Municipal de Investigacion y
Planeacion (IMIP) received a border grant to
carry out a transportation and emission study
at the three major Port of Entry (POEs): Paso
del Norte (Figure 1), Bridge of the Americas
(BOTA), Ysleta-Zaragoza, between El Paso,
Texas - Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua; in order to
help update a transportation demand model
used by planners that would help binational
planners understand the different
transportation modalities (i.e. private/public
transportation, pedestrian) preferred by users.
With this model, IMIP then evaluated the
impact of utilizing a dedicated public transport
lane at the Paso del Norte POE.

The project aimed to show how implementing this
strategy would allow for a reduction in emissions
due to a reduction of vehicle idling at the POE and
foster compliance with rules and standards
related to vehicular emissions.

Figure 1. Paso del Norte Porte of Entry project study area.

In order to develop the baseline data for the
MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) model
used, the project team evaluated existing data
(travel time, # of vehicles crossings) available
from US and Mexican Agencies; the study
evaluated existing infrastructure and roadways at
and surrounding each of the POEs; and lastly,
conducted over 2,200 surveys at each of the POEs
from both private and pedestrian traffic to obtain
a baseline of preferred method of travel between
the two cities and to determine the various travel
corridors once travelers crossed the POEs.

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Reduction of Emissions through
Collective Transport
Infrastructure on International
Bridges

Page 2

The study found that the amount of pollutant emissions
criterion on the Paso del Norte international bridge can
be reduced by up to 11%, by implementing and operating
an exclusive lane for public transport vehicles compared
to current conditions (Figure 2). The economic costs for
the implementation of the exclusive transport lane on the
"Paso del Norte" international bridge are relatively low
compared to the potential environmental and time-saving
benefits. It was estimated that the implementation of a
lane dedicated for public transport would have a cost of
close to $2.5 million USD. However, the implementation
of the project proposal will be very difficult for the time
being, due to the restrictions imposed by the authorities
on the use of the lanes on the "Paso del Norte"
international bridge. For a copy of the final report, please
contact the North American Development Bank.

"...the amount of pollutant
emissions criterion on the
Paso del Norte
international bridge can
be reduced by up to
11%...

Figure 2. Analysis of a proposal for better infrastructure and operations - Development of Executive Project

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