San Luis Port of Entry Southbound Route Changes Begin March 24

Pedestrians crossing southbound into Mexico at the San Luis I Land Port of Entry found a new path this morning as construction contractor Hensel Phelps broke ground on lanes along Main Street and Urtuzuastegui Street, triggering the routing shifts the City of San Luis announced four days earlier.

The pedestrian change took effect at approximately 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The southbound pedestrian route now begins at the intersection of Urtuzuastegui Street and Archibald Street, replacing the previous starting point at Urtuzuastegui and Main Street. According to the City of San Luis, "pedestrians will be safely guided around the construction area within the Port of Entry and will exit at the existing U.S.-Mexico pedestrian crossing."

Thirty minutes later, at approximately 9:00 a.m., U.S. Customs and Border Protection began shifting southbound vehicle traffic into new lanes at the port via Archibald Street. The City's notice did not specify a lane count for the vehicle shift, identifying it only as a move into newly constructed southbound vehicle lanes.

The San Luis I port currently serves 3 million drivers and 2.5 million pedestrians annually, making the routing adjustments a significant daily-life disruption for thousands of Yuma County residents who cross regularly for work, shopping, and family. The San Luis I LPOE is a major regional economic engine for the city of San Luis and Yuma County, supporting its agricultural and retail industries.

The March 24 changes are one phase of a far larger undertaking. The work is part of a $356 million modernization and expansion project that will transform the port by replacing the original 1984 facility with all-new, efficient, state-of-the-art facilities. The GSA project team hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in June 2023 for what is planned as the first fully electric, net zero energy land port of entry in the United States. Construction is ongoing with a projected completion date of Spring 2029.

In September 2022, GSA awarded a design-build contract to Hensel Phelps Construction Co. for the modernization and expansion project. The scope is substantial: the project includes site development and infrastructure, expanding northbound privately owned vehicle lanes from eight to 16, primary and preprimary vehicle inspection canopies, and a secondary vehicle processing area, along with expanded southbound facilities with fixed inspection infrastructure.

Separately, GSA and CBP announced the opening of 16 new northbound vehicle lanes at the San Luis I LPOE beginning Friday, March 27, 2026, a milestone that arrives just three days after Tuesday's southbound construction start. The project also includes a new 21,000-square-foot pedestrian inspection building, which will increase the number of inspection booths from 10 to 14 and improve the flow of pedestrian traffic.

Across town at the San Luis II Commercial Port of Entry (Port Code 2608), a separate schedule change takes effect April 6. Beginning that Monday, the commercial facility will operate seasonal hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays for both northbound and southbound traffic, replacing an earlier schedule that allowed southbound all-truck access until 7:00 p.m. on weekdays. Laden and empty trucks in the southbound direction will also be limited to the 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. window under the new hours. San Luis II, positioned on the eastern corridor of the city, was built specifically to separate commercial freight from pedestrian and passenger vehicle traffic.

The City of San Luis said it "apologizes for any inconvenience and appreciates your understanding and cooperation." Questions about the southbound route changes at the San Luis I port can be directed to the City at (928) 341-8520 or through sanluisaz.gov, where the City will post updates as construction progresses.