HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) — President Joe Biden on Monday issued presidential permits for construction and expansion of three key South Texas bridges connecting to Mexico.
The permits allow for the building of new international bridges in Eagle Pass and Brownsville, as well as the expansion of the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, Texas, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said.
“I am immensely proud of our bipartisan, bicameral legislative push to secure presidential permits for these vital projects,” Cruz said in a statement.
The Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge in Eagle Pass will be the border city’s third vehicular bridge connecting to Piedras Negras, Mexico.
The new Flor de Mayor Bridge will be the fourth vehicular bridge to connect Brownsville to Matamoros, Mexico.
And the World Trade Bridge, in Laredo, which connects to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, will add a new 8-lane northbound bridge, and expand from eight lanes to 10 the existing bridge span for commercial truck traffic.
“Laredo is home to the nation’s No. 1 port of entry. The World Trade Bridge expansion is critical to easing congestion and reducing wait times at the bridge so trade can increase and our South Texas economy can continue to grow,” U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, whose hometown is Laredo, said in a statement.
“The bridges were being needlessly held up, and ending the delays will provide immeasurable benefits to the communities of Eagle Pass, Laredo, and Brownsville, as well as for farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and small businesses across Texas. Indeed, these bridges will facilitate the movement of goods and strengthen US-Mexico supply chains, producing lower prices for millions of American consumers,” said Cruz, who authored legislation that was passed in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 that allowed the streamlining of the presidential permitting process for new and expanded bridges in Webb, Cameron and Maverick Counties of South Texas.
Under the law, the State Department must submit for approval and the White House must approve or deny the permits within 60 days. The permits allow construction to begin while environmental review processes are ongoing. And construction could be halted if environmental concerns are founded.
Other Texas lawmakers who helped push the bridge construction and expansions include Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn; Democratic U.S. Reps. Vicente Gonzalez and Joaquin Castro, and Republican U.S. Reps. Monica de la Cruz and Tony Gonzales.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at [email protected].
