Crosses Rio Grande
Loop 375 Other name(s) Cordova Bridge Cross Rio Grande Construction end 1998 | Locale El Paso–Ciudad Juárez Named for The Americas Owner City of El Paso | |
 | ||
Carries Fed. 45/ I‑110, pedestrians Official name Puente Internacional Córdova-Las Américas | ||
The Bridge of the Americas (BOTA) is a group of international bridges which cross the Rio Grande (Río Bravo) and Texas State Highway Loop 375, connecting the Mexico–United States border cities of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua and El Paso, Texas, via the MX 45 (known as Avenida de las Américas in its Ciudad Juárez section) from the south and the I-110 from the north, crossing the El Paso BOTA Port of Entry. The bridge is colloquially known as "Puente Libre" in Ciudad Juárez, officially as "Puente Internacional Córdova-Las Américas" or "Puente Internacional Córdova de las Américas", and also known as "Puente Río Bravo", "Cordova Bridge" and "Free Bridge".
Contents
Description
The Bridge of the Americas consists of two bridges, actually four separate structures: two two-lane bridges for truck traffic, northbound and southbound, and two four-lane bridges for passenger vehicles, with two sidewalks for pedestrians.
History
The bridges were constructed from 1996 to 1998. The bridge is owned by the International Boundary and Water Commission, and operated in its American section by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its Mexican section by Mexican Customs. It is only one of five bridges connecting Mexico and the United States from Ciudad Juárez, and to date (i.e. 2015), is the only one that is toll free (hence the name Puente Libre).