On December 10, representatives of the USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), led by ERA Chief of Party Timothy Madigan and ERA Border Crossing Points (BCP) Director Cameron Berkuti, visited and observed the rapid upgrade work completed at the Chop (Tysa)-Zahony BCP at the Hungarian border in Zakarpattia Oblast, along with representatives from State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure in Zakarpattia Oblast.
USAID ERA and its subcontractors carried out the upgrades at Ukraine’s largest border crossing with Hungary between May and December 2024. Specialists upgraded the freight transport section, replaced asphalt pavement, applied new markings, installed 288 road signs and 256 LED lights, and replaced road slabs and barriers. To better control traffic, 6 hydroelectric traffic stoppers and 12 traffic arms were installed. They also repaired pedestrian paths, guardrails, and canopies.
“Developing border crossing points is a priority for the Government of Ukraine, and we are honored to be able to do our part in modernizing this critical infrastructure,” stated Timothy Madigan, ERA Chief of Party.
ERA also installed and fully fitted 16 permanent modular buildings for customs and passport control. These facilities are equipped with office furniture, air conditioning, and heaters, providing improved working conditions for customs, passport controllers, and border units. Additionally, ERA provided two commodity scales, one forklift, and two handheld backscatter scanners, and plans to deliver 36 pieces of ICT equipment.
“Reconstruction of border crossing points with all EU countries to increase throughput capacity is not just necessary for Ukraine – it is vital. We are deeply grateful to our partners who understand the urgency of prioritizing work at the largest border crossing points with Hungary and Slovakia. We appreciate our partners for their joint efforts at the Chop (Tysa) border crossing and are ready to continue working together for the development and victory of our country,” stated Stanislav Baluyev, Deputy Head of Border Crossing Development for the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure in Zakarpattia Oblast.
USAID ERA is also collaborating with the U.S.-based consulting firm Tetra Tech and the French company Egis to develop project documentation for Chop (Tysa). The technical requirements have already been approved by the Agency for Restoration, necessary geodetic and technical surveys have been conducted, and project documentation for future reconstruction is under preparation.
The total budget for modernizing the Chop (Tysa) border crossing under the USAID ERA is approximately $4.5 million. This includes all planned equipment procurement, rapid upgrade improvements, engineering services, and reconstruction.
Background:
Between 2023 and 2026, USAID is allocating $115 million through the Economic Resilience Activity to support the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure, Ukrainian Railways (UZ), and the State Customs Service. This funding aims to modernize border crossings, enhance trade, and increase export volumes.