MCALLEN – County and city officials are preparing personnel at Rio Grande Valley ports of entry for Semana Santa

Bridge officials in Hidalgo County, including the city of Mission, Hidalgo and McAllen authorized a budget of $15,000 to help with the flow of traffic.

The money will be spent on overtime and for additional Customs and Border Protection officers.

McAllen Mayor Jim Darling explained how bridge wait times can be shortened.

“What they do is they get out in the lanes a little faster, so they’re – for lack of a better term – pre-clearing people,” he said. “So, when they do get up, when they’re checking the license plates and the visas some of that stuff has already been done... Hopefully that reduces the lines somewhat and we’ll have a successful weekend.”

Darling said the additional manpower will help especially during peak hours in the morning and afternoon.