El Paso Inc. - Feature Story by Wendy White Polk El Paso Inc. staff writer Continued from page 1A Martinez praised what he called the border of the new millennium. The crowd included busloads of Mexican ranchers, dressed in cowboy hats and leather jackets, along with maquila officials in suit and tie. Both groups expect to benefit from easier access to the border. The 17-mile road cuts a diagonal across Chihuahua, connecting the Samalayuca region to the Casas Grandes Highway and a straight shot north to the border. The new highway is 20 percent complete, and should be finished in September.
Mexican officials say the extra-wide concrete roadbed is designed to handle the largest trucks.
According to U.S. officials, the road project is putting improvements on this side of the border on the fast track. By August, we're going to six lanes and six booths from the current two. We'll double the size of the commercial inspection area in 2002. Coleman is confident there are federal funds for the expansion, but still says they'll need to work fast. We'll have to pull a rabbit out of a hat.