The Paso del Norte International Bridge is the oldest and most historically significant of the four crossings between Juárez and El Paso. The original ferry crossing here was used for centuries; the first formal bridge was built in the 1880s. The current pedestrian and vehicle bridge handles foot traffic from El Paso Street in Texas to Avenida Juárez in Mexico.
Walking across the bridge is an experience in itself — the Rio Grande below is channelled between concrete walls, a far cry from the wide natural river that gave the crossing its character, but the view downstream toward the Sierra de Juárez mountains puts the geography in perspective. On the Mexican side, the border formalities are straightforward; the bridge end deposits you directly into the historic centre. Most visitors who cross on foot find the whole process takes under ten minutes.