TRADE OFFICE A BOLD PLAN

Arizona has one-and-ahalf reasons to celebrate progress toward enhancing its trade relationship with Mexico. Here’s one: Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton’s push to establish a trade office in Mexico City is expected to win City Council authorization this week.

Tucson, which has expressed an interest in establishing such a trade office, should take note of how talk turns into action.

San Antonio and nearly two dozen states have found it beneficial to maintain offices in Mexico City. Being present in the political, cultural and economic hub of Mexico offers two-way buzz.

Delegations of business people from Phoenix will gain a home base in Mexico City. There they can meet their Mexican counterparts and begin forming relationships that lead to money in the bank.

In addition, Phoenix will put out the welcome mat for Mexican entrepreneurs and investors to explore opportunities north of the border.

The Phoenix trade office is in the early planning stages. If the council approves, the city will seek bids from experts in Mexico City who can set up an office that will become a fulltime resource.

Stanton hopes the office will be open early next year. He also hopes the city can partner with business groups and others to share the costs and benefits.

That includes Tucson and the state, he says. The state had a trade office in Mexico City until 2011; the University of Arizona currently has an office there.

Phoenix’s efforts represent a turn away from what Stanton calls the “politics of division” regarding Arizona’s relationship with Mexico. That, he says, is a “a bygone era.” We sincerely hope so. Phoenix’s move toward establishing a trade office in Mexico City offers strong evidence that Arizona recognizes the potential for economic growth through a closer relationship with Mexico.

“This is about jobs,” Stanton said, “it’s not about politics.”

Movement toward a trade office is one full reason to cheer. Here’s the half reason: The Arizona Department of Transportation is beginning a project to address congestion on the state road between the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales and Interstate 19.

Improvements are essential to avoid huge bottlenecks after the federal government completes about $250 million worth of improvements that will more than double the port’s capacity.

The $1.5 million temporary fix ADOT is launching involves synchronizing traffic signals on Arizona 189, adding turn lanes and widening an entrance ramp.

It’s not insignificant. Just insufficient.

The effort shows ADOT understands how inadequate the current connector road is. The quick fix will help. But it falls far short of the $50 million to $215 million in improvements ADOT estimates are needed to make long-term fixes to this road. That’s a lot of money. State leaders with insight will understand that Arizona should not squander the potential of a new state-of-the-art port because of a lack of adequate state roads.

Those leaders will work to secure funding for improvements, perhaps through public-private partnerships.

Arizona will realize more benefits from its border with Mexico if politicians and other leaders continue to think boldly and creatively.