PHARR, Texas - Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority’s strategic plan to build a loop around the county was adopted 14 years ago. It will not be completed for another 25 years or so.
This was the message relayed by Ruben Alfaro, development engineer for HCRMA, at the recent IWS4. The summit was hosted by Pharr Economic Development Corporation and held at Pharr Development and Research Center.
Showing a slide of where the loop will be built, Alfaro said: “This is the overall strategic plan for the RMA. This is a 40-year plan that was adopted around 2010, 2011. As you can see here, the ultimate purpose is to provide a loop both on the west side of the county and on the east side of the county.”
Alfaro said the IBTC (International Bridge Trade Corridor) component, linking the Pharr and Donna international bridges to I-2, has been taken over by the Texas Department of Transportation. “We have given ownership of the project to TxDOT because they were able to fund it for construction,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the 365 Toll component, connecting the Pharr and Anzalduas international bridges, is already underway. Alfaro spoke in depth about the 365 Toll, showing images of the work currently being carried out. One such image showed a bridge being built over 23rd Street in south McAllen.
Section A West, connecting Los Ebanos to I-2 at La Joya, and Section E, connecting Donna to I-2 east of Mercedes, are next on the agenda for the RMA, Alfaro said. Section C, in the northwest corner, and Section F, in the northeast corner, are more long-term goals, he explained.
“This loop is to be completed as a 40-year plan. So, we're about 14,15 years in. So, we have about 25 years to go to completely ultimate the strategic plan.”
Dissecting the loop, Alfaro said, will be State Highway 68, a TxDOT project that will connect with IBTC and I-2 at the Alamo-Donna border and head north to I-69C, on the northern side of Edinburg. Alfaro described SH 68 as part of “the short loop.”
Alfaro started his presentation by explaining what Hidalgo County RMA is all about.
"The Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority is an independent governmental agency created by the Texas Transportation Commission and the Hidalgo County Commissioners board on November 17, 2005, to accelerate the transportation projects here in Hidalgo County,” Alfaro said.
“We are overseen by a seven-member board of directors, and we're committed to finding ways to empower local community to take charge of our transportation future. Our purpose is to provide Hidalgo County with opportunities to accelerate the projects through the direction of a local board that's making local choices about local mobility needs to enhance the quality of life here in the county.”
The success of the RMA’s projects will spur economic growth, Alfaro said.
The RMA also has oversight of the overweight corridors in Hidalgo County. He said the original overweight corridors extended from the four commercial bridges in the county. Namely, Anzalduas, Pharr, Donna, and Progreso.
Editor’s Note: Here is a video recording of Ruben Alfaro’s presentation at IWS4:
