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Northern Border Crossing Hours To Be Shortened In Rural Northeast Washington

Effective October 1, the Danville U.S. Border Station in northeastern Washington state will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.. It currently stays open until midnight.
U.S. General Services Administration
Effective October 1, the Danville U.S. Border Station in northeastern Washington state will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.. It currently stays open until midnight.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has finalized shorter hours for several border crossings in northeastern Washington state, effective this fall. The reduction in operating hours in one case was modified based on protests from the local community.

Beginning October 1, drivers entering the U.S. from British Columbia will need to get to the border before 8 p.m. if they plan to use the rural crossings near Danville or Metaline Falls. Those northeastern Washington border posts currently stay open until midnight.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the reduced hours are based on declining traffic and the agency's desire to redirect resources to border crossings with higher workloads.

Earlier this month, residents and business owners in Ferry County, Washington, complained, resulting in hours being added back for the crossing between Grand Forks, BC, and Danville. It was going to be open daytime-only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Now that will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“During a recent town hall, local community and business owners expressed concern about the reduction of hours. CBP listened to those concerns in determining the final hours of operation,” said Blaine, Washington-based CBP Area Port Director Ken Williams in a statement emailed on Wednesday.

The CBP statement predicted the reduction in hours at Danville would have a "minimal" impact because less than one car per hour typically drives across that border crossing during the hours it soon will be closed.

There are alternative border crossings that are open 24 hours per day, but they are a considerable drive away. The Laurier crossing on U.S. Highway 395 stays open until midnight and the Frontier crossing south of Trail, BC, operates 24 hours per day.

UPDATE, July 27: In a follow-up email Friday, CBP said it wants to continue to work with the local communities to reduce any negative impact, where possible. CBP wrote that local questions or comments  can be sent to MetalineFalls@cbp.dhs.gov or Danville@cbp.dhs.gov.

Copyright 2018 Northwest News Network

Correspondent Tom Banse is an Olympia-based reporter with more than three decades of experience covering Washington and Oregon state government, public policy, business and breaking news stories. Most of his career was spent with public radio's Northwest News Network, but now in semi-retirement his work is appearing on other outlets.
Tom Banse
Tom Banse covers national news, business, science, public policy, Olympic sports and human interest stories from across the Northwest. He reports from well known and out–of–the–way places in the region where important, amusing, touching, or outrageous events are unfolding. Tom's stories can be found online and heard on-air during "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" on NPR stations in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.