U.S.-Mexico Fact Sheet

U.S.-Mexico Border Planning: Facilitating Transportation Across the Southern Border

U.S.-Mexico Transportation Planning

Border transportation planning involves the development of goals, objectives, and strategies for moving people and goods across the U.S.-Mexico border. FHWA leads multiple binational stakeholders to collaboratively create safe and effective cross-border transportation.

FHWA also facilitates the development and maintenance of the surface transportation system along the U.S.-Mexico border to address existing and anticipated demand for cross border travel and trade while working with federal, state, regional, and local agencies, international partners at the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) of Mexico, the private sector, and various stakeholders. The U.S.-Mexico border is the most frequently crossed international border in the world. In 2016, over 5.8 million trucks, 75.6 million personal vehicles, and 140.7 million vehicle passengers crossed through the 47 Land Ports of Entry (LPOEs) along the U.S.’s 1,933 miles of shared border with Mexico.^1,2

A long line of cars waiting to cross the border at San Ysidro — *San Ysidro Border Crossing. Image credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection*

Focus on the Southern Border

Along the Southern Border, planning efforts include:

Coordination

FHWA actively participates on the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, which provides a forum for intergovernmental coordination on environmental infrastructure along the Southern Border.

Policy, Plans, and Programs

FHWA championed the creation of six binational Regional Border Master Plans (BMPs) along the Southern Border. Each BMP includes an analysis of future land use conditions and a prioritized list of border transportation needs.

Projects

FHWA provided coordination and technical assistance to support the construction of the West Rail Bypass International Bridge, the first new international rail crossing between the U.S. and Mexico since 1910.

Research

Recent FHWA-sponsored research includes an analysis of Bluetooth technology for measuring border wait times. FHWA also provides support for the Border Crossing Information System, which is administered by Texas A&M University’s Transportation Institute.

FHWA Coordination Spotlight:

U.S.-Mexico Joint Working Committee

In 1994, FHWA and SCT created the U.S.-Mexico Joint Working Committee on Transportation Planning (JWC) to facilitate the efficient, safe, and economical movement of people and goods across the U.S.-Mexico border. Biannual JWC plenaries provide a forum for interagency collaboration on transportation planning, policy implementation, and technology deployment. The 2016-2018 JWC Action Plan describes the planned projects and focus areas for JWC.

FHWA Coordination Spotlight:

Border Infrastructure Finance Workshop

In 2016, FHWA held a workshop on border infrastructure finance in San Diego, CA to educate stakeholders about potential funding sources for binational transportation projects. The workshop featured presentations on traditional and innovative funding sources, including public-private partnerships and crowd-financing. Presenters discussed strategies for mitigating risk when using innovative financing for border transportation projects.

For more information, contact:

Sylvia Grijalva, U.S.-Mexico Border Planning Coordinator

FHWA Office of Planning, Environment & Realty

(602) 510-7986, sylvia.grijalva@dot.gov

To learn more, visit: www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/border_planning

U.S.-Mexico Border Transportation: Facts and Figures

This image displays the U.S. and Mexican Flags flying in the wind against a blue sky. — *Image credit: 123rf.com (mg7 and ribsonff)*

Did You Know?

The U.S.-Mexico border is approximately 1,933 miles long and the trade relationship between the two countries is one of the largest in the world.
There are 47 land ports of entry and six rail-only crossings along the Southern Border, which spans four U.S. states and six Mexican states. Among the ports are two dams, one hand-drawn ferry, and non-motorized pedestrian access in Big Bend National Park.
Nearly 100 million people live in the 10 U.S. and Mexican states along the Southern Border. This region represents the world’s fourth-largest economy.¹
Approximately 81.6 million vehicles crossed from Mexico into the U.S. in 2016,¹ including:

75.6 million personal vehicles
carrying 140.7 million people

5.8 million trucks
carrying 20.8 million tons of goods

181,000 buses
carrying 2.3 million people

42.1 million pedestrians
through land ports of entry

Importance of U.S. - Mexico Border Transportation to the U.S. Economy

Mexico is the U.S.’s second-largest export market and third-largest import market.² In 2016, trade with Mexico totaled $526 billion.¹

By value, 86 percent of trade with Mexico in 2016 moved across the border by surface transportation modes: trucks, rail, or pipelines.¹

Pie chart divided into four sections demonstrating how trade moves across the U.S.-Mexican border. 71% moves across by truck, 14% moves across by rail, 1% moves across by pipeline, and 14% by other means.

Trade with Mexico is not limited to the Southern Border States: In 2016, 30 states exported more than $1 billion in goods to Mexico, while an additional 30 states imported more than $1 billion in goods from Mexico.¹

US map. States that have exported more than $1 billion to Mexico are highlighted. All states except Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are highlighted. — **Exported more than $1 billion to Mexico**
*All but AK, AR, CT, DE, HI, ID, MD, ME, MT, ND, NH, NV, OK, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WV, WY*

US map. States that have imported more than $1 billion of goods from Mexico are highlighted. All states except Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are highlighted. — **Imported more than $1 billion to Mexico**
*All but AK, AR, DE, HI, ID, KS, ME, MT, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, VA, VT, WV, WY*

Citations

1. Bureau of Transportation Statistics

2. U.S. Census Bureau

For more information, contact:

Sylvia Grijalva, U.S.-Mexico Border Planning Coordinator

FHWA Office of Planning, Environment & Realty

(602) 510-7986, sylvia.grijalva@dot.gov