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Rio Grande Valley Freight Transportation and International Trade

Land Port of Entries – Truck and Rail International Bridges

There are eight international bridges serving commercial vehicle traffic in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV):

Roma-Ciudad Miguel Aleman Bridge
Rio Grande City Camargo Bridge
Anzalduas International Bridge
Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge on the Rise
Donna International Bridge,
Weslaco-Progreso International Bridge
Free Trade Bridge at Los Indios,
Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates
West Rail Bridge – International Rail Bridge

Source: TxDOT, RGV Freight Plan

The Rio Grande Valley is vital to freight movement both statewide and nationally. The region is linked to various, strategic Texas supply
chains such as manufacturing, agriculture, and energy production. A significant amount of
freight transportation is the result of increased international commerce.

417 Tier 1 Miles
- includes the roadways most critical
for freight transportation
459 Tier 2 Miles
- includes roadways providing
significant regional connection
671 Tier 3 Miles
- includes additional
connections within the network
and to freight generating and
producing businesses in the region

Source: TxDOT, RGV Freight Plan

Operating freight rail infrastructure within the RGV includes one Class I and three short line railroads.

Union Pacific (UP) owns track alongside the I-69E corridor and connecting to the region’s only rail international bridge (the West Rail Bridge).

The Border Pacific Railroad connects Rio Grande City to McAllen, and the Rio Valley Switching Company operates along the same corridor to Harlingen with spurs to Edinburg and Pharr.

The Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad connects the Port of Brownsville to the UP line and the West Rail Bridge.

Source: TxDOT, TX-MX Border Transportation Master Plan

The economic impact of goods transported across the Texas-Mexico border reaches the entire United States and Mexico. In 2019, movements of people and goods through the Texas-Mexico border
generated over 7 million jobs and more than $350 billion GDP in both countries. By 2050, the economic impact of cross-border trade will increase to over 20 million jobs and nearly $1.2 trillion in GDP.

The number of northbound Commercial Vehicles (CMV) crossing the Texas-Mexico border has more than doubled from 2.17 million in 1996 to 4.60 million in 2019. The forecasted amount is predicted to rise to 12.35 million in 2050.

The number of northbound railcars has quadrupled from 251,769 in 1996 to 1.02 million in 2019. Year 2050 projections are estimated at over 2.5 million in 2050.

Freight Planning and Programming of Projects

The RGV Freight and Trade Transportation Plan addresses the unique binational and multimodal freight and trade challenges and opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. The RGV region incorporates truck, rail, maritime, air, and international bridges as well as space
operations (Space X, Boca Chica Beach).

Additionally, the plan was developed alongside TxDOT’s concurrent Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan, which focusses on cross-border movement of people and goods at the statewide level.

Source: TxDOT, RGV Freight Plan

Key improvements to note for our region:

Upgrade to interstate standard portions of US 77, US 281, and SH 550
Expansion of primary lanes for passenger vehicles at Veteran’s International Bridge at Los Tomates
Improved staging, inspection, and flow of traffic for Pharr International Bridge
Donna and Anzalduas International Bridges are improving facilities to accommodate northbound and southbound loaded trucks

Funding amounts shown are subject to change. The RGVMPO short- & long-range planning tables are amended quarterly. The TXDOT Unified Transportation Plan (UTP) is updated annually, but there is no guarantee that projects in the UTP will be fully funded or implemented. RGVMPO staff is constantly researching additional funding opportunities for improvements to system performance and infrastructure. RGVMPO staff works collaboratively with TXDOT Pharr District staff and regional planning partners to prioritize transportation projects.

Source: Hidalgo County Mobility Authority

International Bridge Trade Corridor (IBTC) –a nontolled 4 lane divided (at grade) highway (interim) from 365 Tollway & FM 493 to IH-2 – Construction Cost:$237,845,395

East Loop – a four to six-lane roadway from I-69E (U.S.
77/83) to SH 4 – Construction Cost: $113,405,678

365 Tollway, Phase II – Currently under construction: a
4-lane controlled access toll facility – Total Project Cost:
$310,040,879

TxDOT Pharr District’s Planned Roadway Projects by Type (Included in Unified Transportation Program)

The Table shows the planned roadway projects in Pharr District that facilitate trade that were included in TxDOT’s Commission approved 2024 Unified Transportation Program (UTP) on August 16, 2023.

Source: Data obtained from TxDOTCONNECT.

Rio Grande Valley MPO, TX

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