PHOENIX — Arizona’s two U.S. senators are celebrating the start of construction at the Douglas Land Port of Entry, which broke ground on Friday.
The new facility in Cochise County will help support Arizona’s second-largest port of entry behind Nogales.
“For decades, leaders in Douglas, Cochise County, and Arizona have called for a new commercial land port of entry in Douglas, and it has been a top priority for me in Congress,” said Sen. Mark Kelly.
“This groundbreaking is the result of local, state, and federal collaboration and a win for Arizona’s economy. The port will help secure our border, open doors for new businesses, and facilitate hundreds of millions of dollars in trade.”
Renovations have been in the works
Funding for the project was estimated at $200 million in 2022 but has grown to $328 million.
Part of the funding was secured through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“I was proud to help secure this funding in the bipartisan infrastructure bill,” Sen. Ruben Gallego said. “By continuing to invest in border infrastructure, we’re strengthening communities across the state and setting the stage for long-term growth.”
Economic impact on Douglas
Douglas sits directly across the border from the Mexican city of Agua Prieta, creating a direct trade partnership.
The city took an economic downturn in 1987 when the border town’s smelter closed, but a new port of entry could encourage and speed up the legal transfer of goods from country to country.
“This groundbreaking marks a new chapter for Douglas,” Mayor Jose Grijalva said. “The new land port of entry will modernize our border infrastructure, boost regional trade and create lasting economic opportunities for our community.”
The port of entry renovations will also reduce wait times for vacationers and provide improvements to security systems to prevent illegal trafficking.
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