Scobey–Coronach Border Crossing

The Scobey–Coronach Border Crossing connects the towns of Scobey, Montana and Coronach, Saskatchewan on the Canada–US border. It is reached by Montana Highway 13 on the American side and Saskatchewan Highway 36 on the Canadian side. An airport with a grass runway that straddles the border is located on the east side of this crossing.

Scobey–Coronach Border Crossing
US Border Inspection Station at Scobey, Montana as seen in 1995
Location
CountryUnited States; Canada
Location
  • MT 13 / Hwy 36
  • US Port: 1440 Hwy 13 North, Scobey, MT 59263-9514
  • Canadian Port: Highway 36, Coronach SK S0H 0Z0
Coordinates49°N 105.40785°W / 49; -105.40785
Details
Opened1914
US Phone(406) 783-5375
Canadian Phone(306) 267-2177
HoursOpen 8:00 am6:00 pm
8:00 am9:00 pm (summer only)
Website
http://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/scobey-mt

History

Scobey MT border station as seen in 1937

The US Customs Service established this crossing as a port of entry in 1914, at the peak of the homesteading in this area. The US first built an inspection station at the border in 1937. That red brick roadside border station was replaced by a wooden structure in the median in 1978, and that facility was replaced by a multi-lane border station in 2012. The Canadian border station, which was originally known as "East Poplar River", was upgraded in 1958, 1981 and 2014.

Biometric System

Traveler using the speaker recognition system to enter the US at Scobey Montana in 1996

In 1996, this border crossing became the world's first fully automated port of entry, using biometrics to confirm the identity of travelers.[1] The US and Canadian governments engaged in a cooperative prototype project to enable certain trusted individuals with nothing to declare to cross the border in either direction after the port had closed for the night. Local residents who were enrolled could use a speaker recognition system to open the gates and enter the country without inspection.[2] This system was replaced with a Remote Video Inspection System in 1998, which was decommissioned after the September 11 attacks of 2001.

See also

References

  1. "REMOTE SECURITY AT U.S.-CANADA BORDER". Access Control & Security Solutions. Jul 1, 1998. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  2. Meyer, Barb (June 12, 1996). "Automated Border Crossing". Television news report. Meyer Television News.
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