Brady PieperThe U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is awarding $15.6 million to a port of entry project in Coburn Gore, Maine. The Land Port of Entry (LPOE) is also being allocated an architectural and engineering service contract through the GSA.
Funding is through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will be delivered to Dattner Architects to lead concept, design development and construction documents for Coburn Gore’s LPOE project. With construction set to begin in 2026, the project aims to provide a modern, durable and climate-resistant LPOE at a critical international junction.
The Coburn Gore port, situated on the U.S.-Canada border, will serve as a crucial point of entry between Coburn Gore and Saint-Augustin-de-Woburn in Quebec. The upgraded facility is expected to enhance the efficiency of U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations while incorporating features that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate environmental impacts. After the project is completed, GSA foresees improvement in the federal government’s mission readiness by increasing resilience to climate change.
The architecture and engineering contract awarded to the project will provide GSA-sponsored experts to help progress the proposal. Acting as a strategy guide through the entire development process, GSA contracts offer hybrid, collaborative design services based on human-centered, sustainable, flexible, and tech-enabled strategies.
With an estimated budget of $95 million, the LPOE project has been in the works since Jan. 2023. Looking ahead, bidding for construction contracts will begin by late 2025 or early 2026. GSA anticipates the project will have substantial completion by Fall 2029.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $3.4 billion to the GSA for the construction and modernization of land ports of entry along the northern and southern U.S. borders. These investments are designed to boost commerce, create construction jobs and integrate innovative sustainability features.
Coburn Gore’s land border connects to Woburn through the merger of Quebec Route 161 and Maine State Route 27 and includes one border patrol station. The original border station, built in 1931, was constructed as a border security measure to address international smuggling during Prohibition. Today, the Coburn Gore border station is listed as a historic site through the National Register of Historic Places.
Richard Coté, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
