PHARR, Texas – Pharr leaders are saying March 7 was historic day for their leaders.
That is because a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Pharr International Bridge for the second span project. The project will double the capacity of the port of entry, which specializes in truck traffic.
Pharr Mayor Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez and city leaders welcomed top federal, state and local officials from Mexico. “The expansion will duplicate capacity and allow for more efficient commercial crossings as traffic is expected to increase,” the city stated.
In 2022, trade at the Pharr International Bridge was valued at $46.44 billion, an increase of 11.16 percent through December. In the same year, imports at the bridge totaled $27.7 billion, up 9.62 percent. Exports at the bridge totaled $18.74 billion in 2022, up 13.51 percent.
“You’re looking at about 1.2 million trucks that cross through the bridge on an annual basis,” Pharr Bridge Director Luis Bazan told KURV Radio.
Asked when the second span would likely be constructed, Bazan told the radio station: “Mexico is starting their side immediately. They’re scheduled to take about 18 months of construction. Ours is roughly the same, about 17 months. But, the processes are different;. Mexico has a very streamlined process to get their permits, to get everything situated and environmentally cleared. We’re still waiting for our environmental clearance. But this is going to give us leverage to move faster on the U.S. side. So we expect to hopefully… ii things go well and we can get there faster, we can even ground-break at the beginning of 2024 on our end.”
Editor’s Note: Credit for the photos used in the slideshow above goes to the City of Pharr.
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