This article is written by Porfirio Waters
The Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge is the 4th Largest Border crossing and the 7th largest border crossing in the U.S in terms of value for imports and exports as well as ranking 3rd in the nation when it comes to trades with Mexico across the nation, only behind Laredo and El Paso. Nonetheless, wait times can be a chore. This however may be a thing of the past as a recently planned expansion to the popular crossing has been given the green light to go through.
The Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge was built in 1994. It’s the only full-service commercial crossing bridge in Hidalgo County and handles both commercial and passenger-operated vehicles. The bridge connects U.S. 281 to Reynosa, Tamaulipas and will soon be connected to the Industrial corridor, leading to San Fernando Blvd. and CD. Victoria and San Luis Potosi. It will also serve as the starting point for the proposed I-69 Connector connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The bridge is also known as the “Bridge with the Butterflies,” with a flock of monumental butterflies created by artist Allison Sky in 1998 to represent the importance of the relationship between the United States and Mexico and the diverse wildlife and landscape of the Rio Grande border region. A new project now hopes to expand the bridge and give new life to the iconic border crossing.
The project involves constructing a second bridge next to the existing one, effectively doubling its capacity. The new bridge will add four lanes and a pedestrian walkway, along with additional lighting and electronic signage to improve traffic flow and safety. The upgrade will also include the creation of two more commercial entry lanes and booths, which will speed up commercial traffic from Mexico to the U.S., allowing for more capacity on the bridge and the ability to inspect more trucks simultaneously. The project also includes the expansion of the dock and the construction of a new cold inspection facility.
In addition, a new Regional AG Laboratory & Training Center is being constructed to meet the growing needs of the perishables/produce industry. This facility will be a fully-equipped training and development center for agriculture specialists, entomologists, and insect identifiers, to keep up with the exponential growth of perishables/produce importations that are being forecasted for the next 10 years This comes as no surprise as based on Mexico’s population density, this makes the port important for the future growth possibly surpassing all other ports in the future.
The city is projected to receive a substantial industrial investment exceeding $325 million in 2024, marking a remarkable 141% increase from the previous year. This includes at least six confirmed industrial projects with companies such as Baja Screen, Velvac, Corning, Pentair, BCS, and Time InterConnect. In addition, a US third-party logistics company, XB Fulfillment, will invest $60 million to open an industrial park in Reynosa to grow its e-commerce operations. This park will become the largest facility of a company in the history of Reynosa.
The bridge connects U.S. 281 to Reynosa, Tamaulipas and will soon be connected to the Industrial corridor, leading to the fastest growing industrial corridor to Mexico. It will also serve as the starting point for the proposed I-69 Connector connecting it to the rest of the U.S. As for the Mexican side, the bridge connects to Mexican Federal Highway 2, connecting Tamaulipas to both Tijuana, Baja California, and other pacific coast cities as well as a path to Mexican Federal Highway 40 which leads towards Monterrey and other southbound cities. This strategic location makes it a crucial link for trade and travel between the U.S. and the interior regions of Mexico especially as the majority of Mexico’s population lives in the interior regions of the country, often referred to as the “core region”. This area is home to most of the country’s 129 million people as of 2022. The core region is highly urbanized, with about 77% of Mexico’s population living in urban areas and the largest urban areas are found in this core region.
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