New San Luis port director talks lane expansion project

SAN LUIS, AZ (AZFamily) — As one of Arizona’s most vital border crossings, the San Luis Port of Entry is getting a major transformation.

They’re doubling their lanes from eight vehicle lanes to 16.

Construction kicked off last May, making room for new infrastructure for vehicles and pedestrians.

The updates are expected to improve traffic flow and reduce border wait times at the port.

Chris Leon, the newly appointed area port director at the San Luis Port of Entry, is now at the helm of the port, but he isn’t new to San Luis.

“I came back to where I initially started as a customs inspector in 1999,” said Leon.

In 2012, he was one of the assistant port directors in San Luis, a position he held for a decade.

He later left for Phoenix and is now back in San Luis.

He knows the community and understands its needs. He said the region’s agriculture industry makes the San Luis Port unique.

“Here, traffic begins at 1:00 a.m., and it just circles around,” he said.

Right now, they’re seeing an average of 10,000 people cross through the port every day, a much higher number than normal for the summer season.

With only about 240 officers at this port, Leon said he’s looking to double that number in the next four years.

He said that will allow them to efficiently support all 16 lanes once completed.

“That’s key, get the personnel ready and have the adequate personnel in order for us to operate and that’s something we are working on as we speak,” said Leon.

He said more officers would help with border wait times, and extra hands would help intercept drugs at the port.

“This last week, we’ve intercepted just about 600 pounds of hard narcotics. When I say hard narcotics, it’s fentanyl, methamphetamine, and at times, cocaine,” he said.

The port’s expansion is on track to be fully completed, including new pedestrian facilities by spring 2029.

New vehicle facilities are expected to be open sooner than that in 2026.

“The need is there. It’s a busy little city and I think we’ll see that and we are seeing it overall with the amount of travelers that we’re processing daily,” said Leon.

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