CBP warns of months-long delays at San Luis I port of entry
Construction at San Luis I starts June 20 and is expected to slow northbound crossings for four to five months.
Drivers heading north from San Luis, Mexico, should brace for months of slower crossings at the San Luis I Port of Entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said construction will begin June 20, 2026, and will last about four to five months in the vehicle lanes used to enter the United States.
CBP said vehicle processing will continue during the work, but delays are expected while crews install new equipment intended to improve operations and infrastructure. The practical advice is straightforward: allow extra time before school runs, work shifts, medical appointments and commercial deliveries, and check conditions before leaving home.
CBP is directing travelers to its Border Wait Times website or app to monitor conditions before arriving at the port. The San Luis crossing has a dedicated live wait-times page, and that information will be especially important for commuters, shoppers and cross-border businesses that depend on predictable traffic between San Luis, Arizona, and San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico.
The slowdown is tied to the broader San Luis I Land Port of Entry modernization and expansion project. The General Services Administration says the work is designed to improve efficiencies, traffic flow, wait times, CBP processing capacity and operational security. The plan includes expanding northbound privately owned vehicle lanes from eight to 16, along with new primary and preprimary inspection canopies and a secondary vehicle processing area.
That larger project matters far beyond the port gates in Yuma County. San Luis I is a major border crossing and Arizona’s westernmost port of entry, and KJZZ has reported that it handles hundreds of millions of dollars worth of fresh produce annually. Any slowdown can ripple into agriculture, supply chains and small businesses that rely on timely crossings for goods and labor.
The timing also raises concern for the months ahead, when border traffic typically climbs with agriculture imports and holiday travel. CBP has said traffic increases significantly in the fall and winter, which means the June 20 start date could put the heaviest disruption squarely into a busy travel window for San Luis and the rest of Yuma County.
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