Two Border Stations in Minnesota to be built, modernized under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Infrastructure projects will strengthen supply chains, create jobs, and facilitate commerce and trade

Although a date for construction hasn’t been set, both the Grand Portage and International Falls land ports of entry will see major upgrades in the not-so-distant future.

That was the big news coming from the U.S. General Services Administration who proclaimed that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal signed into law by President Biden includes funding for infrastructure projects at two Minnesota land ports of entry — strengthening supply chains, creating jobs, and enhancing security and trade.

The announcement was issued on Friday, February 25, and finally concludes projects that have been in the pipeline for the last fifteen years or so.

The International Falls and Grand Portage projects will make each port of entry more functional, sustainable and secure. Overall, the legislation invests more than $250 million in the two projects, which will also foster economic growth and job creation in surrounding communities.

“America’s land ports are vital to our economy and our security, with billions of dollars in goods and services crossing our borders each and every day,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “These bipartisan investments are a historic opportunity to modernize our land ports in ways that will create good-paying jobs and strengthen supply chains, while enhancing safety and security.” “Our underfunded and outdated infrastructure has real costs to families, our economy, and our global competitiveness,” said Senior Advisor & White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu. “President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing in strengthening our supply chains, including our land ports which are vital for moving goods across our borders.”

The $3.4 billion in direct spending by GSA under the law is estimated to support, on average, nearly 6,000 annual jobs over the next 8 years; add $3.23 billion in total labor income across the United States; contribute an additional $4.5 billion to the National Gross Domestic Product; and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for state, local and federal governments.

The International Falls land port of entry is the highest traffic volume port in Minnesota, and currently processes more traffic than it was designed to accommodate. The project will expand the capacity of the port to process trade and travelers, enhance security and safety, and allow tenant federal agencies to carry out their missions more effectively. In Grand Portage, the law will provide for the modernization of the nearly 60-year-old border station, increasing the number of traffic lanes and improving security and screening.

“Land ports of entry play a critical role in the success of Minnesota’s economy by facilitating trade and tourism,” said Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar. “This much-needed investment will help boost our supply chain by expanding processing capacity for goods at the International Falls and Grand Portage border stations. I’ll keep fighting to strengthen our supply chain by investing in our infrastructure and making it easier for our exporters to get their goods to market.”

“GSA’s Great Lakes Region is pleased that its two land ports of entry projects in Minnesota will receive much-needed funding and provide good-paying jobs with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal,” said Acting GSA Great Lakes Administrator Kim Brown. “These projects are essential to securing our northern border and ensuring the federal agencies that use these land ports of entry can safely and effectively carry out their missions for our nation.”

The projects are among 26 major construction and modernization projects at land ports of entry which will be funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The average land port of entry is nearly 40 years old and overdue for upgrades. Investment in port modernization will strengthen supply chains, improve operational capabilities, modernize facility infrastructure, spur economic growth, and bolster the country’s security.

These projects also provide the opportunity to incorporate sustainability features that will sharply reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the impact of buildings on the environment, and simultaneously increase the mission readiness of the federal government by increasing resilience to climate change.

Many of these modernization projects will allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to more effectively deploy the latest technology to identify high-risk activity and shipments, combat drug trafficking, and increase operational security.