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Needs and
Benefits

NEEDS & BENEFITS

Why is the Puerto Verde Global Bridge Needed?

There are many reasons why the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge is needed. Here are some of the primary factors.

In 2021, The Texas Department of Transportation released its Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan that found:

  • “Continued population growth, trade, and personal travel demand has outpaced investments in border-wide multimodal transportation infrastructure.”
  • “This has resulted in increasing border crossing times, corridor and local congestion, safety hot spots, deferred maintenance, and connectivity gaps – especially within the last mile of the border.”
  • “Without border infrastructure improvements, border crossing times will escalate to unmanageable levels, putting at risk the economic competitiveness of trade between the U.S. and Mexico.”
  • “Without efficient border infrastructure, this trade could move to other countries, resulting in fewer jobs and lower incomes in both countries.”

FACTS & STATS

Check out the facts and stats. They say it all.

The Central Texas Border Region is Critical to U.S. – Mexico Trade

  • In 2023, Mexico became the United State’s largest trading partner, surpassing both China and Canada.
  • 42% of all U.S.-Mexico cross-border trade passes through the Laredo-Eagle Pass-Del Rio trade corridor, generating $262 billion in binational trade.
  • Without sufficient investment in new border infrastructure, TxDOT estimates that by 2050, crossing times in this region will exceed 8 hours, resulting in a $43 billion reduction in GDP and eliminating over 1.2 million jobs.
  • Puerto Verde is expected to fill this vital gap in international commerce routes to avoid crossing delays and associated negative economic impact.

Trade is Well Established Through Eagle Pass / Piedras Negras

For U.S./Mexico trade, the Eagle Pass / Piedras Negras port of entry is ranked: 

  • #5 of 450 ports in its value of trade with Mexico ($34B in 2022) 
  • #2 in rail tonnage
  • #1 in commercial vehicle (44% of all US exports to MX) , #1 in soybeans (38%), and #2 in passenger vehicle (25%) exports
  • #1 in commercial vehicle (32%), #1 in beer (69%), and #4 in passenger vehicle (7%) imports

Eagle Pass / Piedras Negras is the Safest Port of Entry Along the U.S. / Mexico Border

  • #1 safest Mexican border state (Coahuila)
  • #1 safest U.S. / Mexico border crossing (Eagle Pass / Piedras Negras)
  • #3 safest city in all of Mexico (Piedras Negras)

Eagle Pass is Already Exceeding its Capacity and Requires New Infrastructure to Meet the Growing Demand

  • Eagle Pass’s only dedicated commercial motor vehicle border crossing already serves twice as much traffic as it was designed to handle. By 2050, traffic will be at 714 percent capacity, and wait times are projected to grow by more than 7,000 percent—to 7-9 hours per vehicle. 
  • The existing single-track rail bridge was built in 1922 and is nearing its end of life. The existing route through the urban centers of Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass present unique challenges to expansion and pose mobility and safety risks with over two dozen at-grade roadway and rail crossings.
Economic Impact

More Secure

Puerto Verde will utilize the latest technologies to increase non-intrusive inspection rates (e.g., X-rays) from approximately 20% today to 100% in the future to prevent the movement of illicit materials and drugs such as fentanyl across our border. Additional compliance and technology requirements will not only improve border security but reduce wait times as well. This first-of-its-kind secure rail corridor will also be completely fenced and monitored. The secure rail corridor significantly reduces risks of theft, vandalism, and unauthorized transport.

Technology Used for Security: X-rays

Rail Corridor Fenced and Monitored? Yes

Preventative Measures Will Reduce: Drugs and Illicit Materials Movements, Theft, Vandalism, Unauthorized Transport

More Resilient

We need additional trade corridors like Puerto Verdes to meet today’s economic realities—and tomorrow’s. According to projections by the Texas Department of Transportation, Eagle Pass’s only dedicated commercial motor vehicle border crossing already serves twice as much traffic as it was designed to handle. By 2050, traffic will be at 714 percent capacity, and wait times are projected to grow by more than 7,000 percent—to 7-9 hours per vehicle.

Do we need additional trade corridors? Yes

If nothing is done what are the current projected wait times? 7-9 Hours Per Vehicle

Capacity prediction by 2050 without action. 714%

More Efficient

The facility will be a functionally lean next-generation port with simplified state-of-the-art scanning, a strategic location that allows commercial vehicles to bypass high-traffic residential areas, and the ability to operate 24/7— reducing wait times and improving inspection of commercial loads.

Functionally Lean? YES

State-of-the-Art Scanning? YES

Operation Times: 24/7

More Sustainable

Shorter wait times at border crossings mean fewer CO2 emissions. Reduced wait times in Eagle Pass will prevent an estimated 100M lbs. of annual CO2 emissions from idling trucks.

Shorter Wait Times? YES

Will this project reduce CO2 emmissions? YES

Estimated amounts of reduced CO2: 100M lbs