Nogales, Ariz. (PRWEB) June 05, 2014
Bruce Bracker, Chairman of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority (GNSCCPA), and Martha Rascon, Ex-Officio Board member of the Port Authority and coordinator of the Commercial Corridor Working Group, attended the US-Mexico Binational Bridges and Border Crossings meeting in Tijuana, Baja California on May 29.
The meeting is the formal protocol mechanism that coordinates all port of entry projects between the United States and Mexico. “Our participation in this critical binational forum helps us ensure that the issues that are important to Ambos Nogales get the attention they deserve from the federal governments of Mexico and the United States,” stated Mr. Bracker.
“With the Reconfigured port of entry, we will have the most modern and efficient port on the entire US-Mexico, a port that integrates the latest approached in design, leading edge technology, and sufficient capacity to handle our growth in trade, tourism and commerce for many years. But if we simply make the improvements on one side then we are simply moving the bottleneck from one side to the other,” added Mr. Bracker.
A top level official from the Ministry of Transportation of Mexico (SCT for its initials in Spanish) confirmed during the meeting that the improvements to the Mexican side of Mariposa remain a top priority and that they will be taking a more hands-on approach to the monitoring of the progress being made on the corridor.
The GNSCCPA’s attention was not focused exclusively on infrastructure. Among the other issues that the Port Authority raised was a request from the Mexican federal government to improve the situation at the Querobabi military inspection station between Nogales and Hermosillo. Truck wait times at this facility can exceed 6 to 8 hours.
Additionally, Ms. Rascon made a proposal to both the US and federal governments to work towards the harmonization of truck safety inspection procedures by both countries. “When a truck gets inspected more than once in a single day, it is at best a redundant effort. We want safe roads but we also must ensure that trucks are inspected in an effective and efficient manner,” stated Ms. Rascon. “Our proposal is based on input directly from industry, truckers, shippers, in fact a broad spectrum of representatives from trade. We are the ones who live with it every day,” she added.
ABOUT THE GREATER NOGALES SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY:
The Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority is a non-profit Nogales-based organization dedicated to the improvement of the port of entry system at Nogales and the improvement of the quality of life for the residents of the region. For more information please visit http://www.nogalesport.org.
