Paso del Norte International Bridge
Bridge in El Paso, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Paso del Norte International Bridge is an international bridge which crosses the Rio Grande (Río Bravo) river connecting the United States-Mexico border cities of El Paso, Texas, US, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
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Paso del Norte International Bridge Puente Benito Juárez | |
|---|---|
Paso Del Norte POE El Paso Texas | |
| Coordinates | 31°44′52″N 106°29′13″W |
| Crosses | Rio Grande |
| Locale | El Paso, Texas |
| Official name | Paso del Norte Bridge |
| Other name | Santa Fe Street Bridge |
| Owner | City of El Paso |
| Characteristics | |
| No. of lanes | 4 |
| History | |
| Opened | 1967 |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Paso del Norte International Bridge | |
Description and names
The bridge is also known as "Paso del Norte Bridge", "Santa Fe Street Bridge", "Puente Benito Juárez", "Puente Paso del Norte" and "Puente Juárez-Santa Fe".[1]
History
The bridge was constructed in 1967. It was renovated in 1991 and expanded again in 2009.[2]
On March 26, 2019, dozens of illegal immigrants were captured by United States Customs and Border Protection agents, who had insufficient space for them in local holding facilities. So they erected chainlink fencing and concertina wire under the bridge to construct a "transitional shelter" to detain them.[3][4] As of March 30, hundreds of immigrants were sleeping on dirt and rocks, with mylar blankets, portable toilets and plastic portable sinks.[5]
By mid-June, conditions had worsened, with between 100 and 150 detainees reporting most have been held for over a month, without being allowed to bathe or change clothing, in temperatures exceeding 100 °F (38 °C).[6]
Border crossing
The Paso del Norte International Bridge is a four-lane bridge for northbound non-commercial traffic only.[2]
The American side of the bridge is owned and operated by the City of El Paso.[2]
