Source: United States General Services Administration
July 28, 2022
Top photo: structural beams installed to support expansion of bridge over the All-American Canal. Bottom photo: bridge expansion plans.
CALEXICO, Calif. – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC) announced reaching a critical construction milestone for the bridge expansion project at the Calexico East Land Port of Entry (LPOE). The $32.5 million project, largely funded through state and federal grants, will expand the existing northbound bridge, over the All-American Canal.
“Construction crews recently installed six, 175 foot-long steel girders (or beams) across the span of the canal,” said ICTC Project Manager David Aguirre. “These steel beams provide the structural support upon which the new bridge extension will be built to better accommodate commercial truck crossing over the canal and effectively increase the port’s overall queuing and crossing capacity by one third.”
These girders were produced in Utah, transported in sections on trailer trucks and then assembled with load-bearing bolts on the grounds of the port. Over the coming months, the construction team will pour 8,500 tons of concrete that emits lower carbon emissions, cracks less, and lasts longer.
The project entails:
- Conducting bridgework on two existing southbound commercial and three northbound privately owned vehicle (POV) lanes
- Expanding the bridge to include two new northbound commercial vehicle lanes and increasing POV and commercial vehicle queuing capacity
- A new shoulder lane which will allow for the removal of disabled vehicles
- Improving pedestrian facilities, including the installation of permanent fencing to provide a safety barrier between the pedestrian path and vehicle traffic lanes
ICTC partnered with the California Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to complete environmental clearance and approvals for the project in March 2021. Construction work started in January 2022 and the project is scheduled for completion in May 2023.
“With nearly $20 billion in exports crossing through the port last fiscal year, the need for improved and expanded infrastructure is abundantly clear,” said Aguirre. “That’s why the ICTC is proud to have reached this milestone. The project will help expedite northbound pedestrian, vehicular and commercial crossings, improve safety and air quality, and stimulate our dynamic binational regional economy.”
“GSA is excited to see the ICTC’s progress on the bridge expansion project at the Calexico East LPOE,” said GSA’s Acting Regional Administrator Dan Brown. “As a regional partner we are eager to jointly deliver enhanced economic opportunities for the Imperial Valley region at the completion of the project. The improvements will also help our federal tenant agencies to conduct their respective missions.”
“This project provides improvements for commercial and privately owned vehicles, and for pedestrian cross-border travelers to enter the U.S., in a safer and more efficient manner,” said Anne Maricich, Customs and Border Protection, Acting Director of Field Operations, San Diego Field Office. “These improvements will allow CBP to continue to protect our nation’s borders while facilitating the flow of travelers, trade and commerce between the United States and Mexico.”
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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.
About ICTC: The Imperial County Transportation Commission was established under Senate Bill 607 (SB 607 – Ducheny) which was approved by the California Legislature and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009. As a county transportation commission, ICTC member agencies are enabled to exercise basic initiative and leadership in the transportation planning and programming process. The ICTC is also responsible for the administration and oversight of the Imperial County public transit system, the Local Transportation Authority, the Imperial Valley Resource Management Agency and the Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies. The ICTC acts in accordance with all applicable laws and statutes for county transportation commissions. For more information, please visit www.imperialctc.org