Paso del Norte Crossing Cuts Lanes for Scanner Work
Freight operators and regular travelers crossing at El Paso should plan for longer processing times while construction runs.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Construction
Live Poll
Do you support slower border crossings for stronger vehicle security scanning?
Construction to install advanced vehicle-scanning technology began October 30 at the Paso del Norte border crossing in El Paso, and the crossing remains open while work proceeds. Fewer inspection lanes are available during construction, so commercial and passenger traffic should expect slower processing.
Why it matters
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is adding scanning capacity at a high-volume crossing, and the disruption falls on the lanes that move daily travelers and freight in and out of El Paso. A January Government Accountability Office report said CBP is deploying additional scanning systems before primary inspection, which signals the upgrade is part of a broader federal push rather than a one-off project.
Construction began October 30 at the Paso del Norte crossing, with fewer inspection lanes available while work continues. The source does not give a lane count or a projected completion date to compare against normal operations.
The players
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
The federal agency that runs port-of-entry inspections and sets the scanning and screening standards applied to commercial and passenger vehicles at land crossings.
Government Accountability Office
The nonpartisan federal watchdog whose reviews shape how agencies such as CBP are audited on technology deployment and spending.
The details
The project installs advanced vehicle-scanning equipment at the crossing while traffic keeps moving. Scanner images allow officers to identify irregularities and decide whether a vehicle should be referred for secondary inspection. CBP already uses similar technology at the Bridge of the Americas, and its low-energy portals use low radiation doses to produce images of occupied vehicles. The stated goal is to strengthen inspections and detect potential threats while processing lawful travelers and trade securely and efficiently.
Timeline
October 30, 2026: Construction began at the Paso del Norte crossing.
January 2026: A Government Accountability Office report said CBP is deploying additional scanning systems before primary inspection.
July 2024: CBP filmed low-energy portal footage at the Bridge of the Americas.
Market Landscape
CBP already operates advanced vehicle-scanning equipment at the Bridge of the Americas in El Paso, so the Paso del Norte work extends an established regional approach. The January Government Accountability Office report places the project within a wider federal rollout of scanning systems ahead of primary inspection.
Businesses that move goods or staff across the Paso del Norte crossing should build extra transit time into schedules while lanes are reduced. Logistics and trucking operators should review their dispatch timing and confirm which Trusted Traveler and commuter lane options remain available to enrolled drivers.
The takeaway
The operating insight is that fewer lanes during construction will lengthen crossing times at Paso del Norte, so affected businesses should plan around it. Operators should keep the Stanton Street dedicated commuter lane and the Port of El Paso Trusted Traveler Enrollment Center in mind, since both remain open throughout the project.
Further reading
For the wider context on building and infrastructure work across the region, see Construction coverage for El Paso.
More information
Read the vehicle-scanning upgrade report on Border Report for details on expected delays at the Paso del Norte crossing.
Live Poll
Do you support slower border crossings for stronger vehicle security scanning?
