Bridge Traffic Decreases, City Loses Money

Every car that goes through the international ports of entry means money for the city of El Paso. However, traffic headed south has decreased more than 6 percent, in part because of the ongoing violence in Juarez, Mexico.

“Last year we raised $4.8 million for the first three months (Sept. through Nov.). This year we've only collected $3.8 million,” said Said Larbi-Cherif, the international bridges director for the city. He said the last time the city saw a decrease in traffic was after Sept. 11, 2001. Since then, traffic has steadily increased every year.

Larbi-Cherif said the money collected at the toll booths pays for bridge and equipment maintenance and operations. The rest of it goes to the city's general fund, which the city uses for projects. If traffic stays down Larbi-Cherif said they will come more than a million dollars short from the what the $11.3 million that was calculated for city budget.

“I think the city manager asked all department heads to look at their expenditures and essentially cut down about 3 percent of all expenditures,” said Larbi-Cherif.

The decrease in traffic at the bridges isn't only affecting the city's budget, it's also having an effect on local businesses. Stores in Downtown El Paso rely heavily on shoppers who cross over from Juarez. However, business isn’t booming despite the holidays approaching.

“(Business has) at least dropped 50 percent in sales from last year, and we'd say about 60 or 70 (percent) from the year before in 2006,” said Joe Hernandez, who owns the undergarment store La Quinta. He said people aren’t crossing into the U.S. like they used to.

“That's probably due to the economy and the violence. Since the maquilas (factories) started closing (in Juarez), we've seen significant decrease in commercial traffic,” said Larbi-Cherif.

Bridge toll revenue makes up about 3 or 4 percent of the city's general fund.

Despite the loss in revenue, Larbi-Cherif said toll rates will remain the same. However, if the downward trend continues it may go before city council for an increase this coming summer.