BROWNSVILLE, Texas - With a huge LNG project at the Port of Brownsville projected to create a massive increase in truck traffic, Cameron County RMA has started a master plan study of State Highway 48.
At the peak of its construction phase, NextDecade’s liquefied natural gas export terminal will see the hiring of 5,000 workers. Most of these may be transported into the port by bus. Cameron County and the City of Brownsville are looking into this.
But, then there are the trucks bringing in raw materials and taking out waste materials. Pete Sepulveda, executive director of Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), says he would not be surprised to see 10,000, 15,000 or even 20,000 workers using SH 48 within a few years, particularly as it is also used by SpaceX.
“So what we're doing is we're working on a master plan for State Highway 48. Because you know that the 5,000 number that you mentioned, that's only one LNG. As you know, there's two LNG companies that are coming to the Port of Brownsville,” Sepulveda told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.
“There are other industries that are coming to the board as well. SpaceX is already there. They already have 15,000 to 16,000 employees.”
Sepulveda said that working with Brownsville Navigation District, CCRMA is working on traffic projections.
“In the course of the next ten, 20, 30 years, as far as traffic is concerned, what is the traffic demand modeling we are going to need for Highway 48? And what is the ultimate configuration and industry coming into the Port of Brownsville? That is what we are going to study,” Sepulveda said.
“We're trying to determine what grade separations and what overpasses are needed. What additional infrastructure improvements are needed. What connecting roads are needed in that whole area to be able to provide ingress and egress to 10,000 employees that are going to be working out of that area or projected to be in the future.”
Sepulveda said once the master plan is complete it will be presented to the Texas Department of Transportation. After all, TxDOT maintains SH 48.
“We're doing the master plan so that we can ensure that we have an orderly growth and development in that whole area of the Port of Brownsville,” Sepulveda said.
Once TxDOT has the master plan, Sepulveda said, he would expect the State of Texas to fund the improvements needed for SH 48.
Concurrent to this, Sepulveda said, there is a separate transportation working group that includes Brownsville and Cameron County leaders that is looking at different options on how to get (LNG) employees to the Port of Brownsville.
“That could either be via bus or another transportation mode so that not every employee takes his own vehicle into the port. So, they might look at doing carpooling stations throughout Cameron County.”
Sepulveda said the carpooling stations could even be located at other points across the Rio Grande Valley.
“I'm sure there are going to be be many employees coming from Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties to work at the Port of Brownsville. So, we're looking at all the potential options.”
Asked whose idea it was to develop a master plan for SH 48, Sepulveda said the CCRMA board of directors.
“It was our deal. Frank and the board. We had discussed it and then we approached the Port of Brownsville. So we're funding it. But, we think it's got a lot of merit. And we think that it'll help create an orderly growth and development. It's great to have growth. But, if it is not an orderly growth then you really can't maximize the benefit.”
The “Frank” Sepulveda mentioned is Frank Parker, chairman of CCRMA. Parker asked how the 5,000 LNG workers would be transported to the Port of Brownsville during a Q&A at a recent presentation by NextDecade at a meeting of the South Texas Manufacturers Association, held at Rancho Viejo. A NextDecade representative confirmed the existence of a transportation working group. The representative said Brownsville Mayor John Cowen is on the group.
In his interview with the Guardian, Sepulveda said it is important not to underestimate how much traffic would use SH 48.
“As they bring in more industry, as they bring in suppliers, etc., that number can easily be 15,000 or 20,000 employees. So we’ve got to project that and we got to be ready for it.”
Sepulveda pointed out that SH 48 is currently a four lane highway.
“The Port of Brownsville owns 40,000 acres out there. They own the property on both sides of Highway 48. So, if you're a company and you're on the west side and you want to get to the east side, you're going to use Highway 48. It's going to be very difficult with all the traffic. So, you are going to need grade separations to get the traffic from one side of the road to the other. So, we're looking at all that. We’ll make it a safe route. And we'll make it efficient. We're studying all the way to (State) Highway 100.”
Editor's Note: Here is an audio version of the Guardian's interview with Pete Sepulveda:
