Mission Mayor Armando O’Caña says he is planning for passenger rail, not just cargo, on the eagerly-anticipated Madero International Bridge.
The Madero bridge is slated to be built just upstream from Anzalduas International Bridge and is being championed by the cities of Mission and McAllen.
O’Caña gave an update on how things are progressing while attending a news conference with Congressman Henry Cuellar recently at the Center for Education & Economic Development in Mission.
Asked how things are going with Madero, O’Caña said: “Right now we are in the study process. We have requested that proposals for the environmental study be done. We have to finish the feasibility study on the Mexican side and we are adding a traffic study, not only for a pedestrian crossing but also rail crossing. Rail crossing for merchandise as well as human beings, passengers.”
Asked how engaged the State Department has been, O’Caña said: “The State Department is helping. Right now our request is actually at the White House. The State Department has already cleared the steps that we are going to be taking and it has moved over to the White House. It is at the White House level right now. Of course, what happens with President Trump (we are not sure) but all the process is in the White House so we are waiting patiently for a response.”
Congressman Cuellar said he is supportive of the Madero International Bridge. However, he said he sometimes gets pushback from the owners of other bridges.
“People get a little jealous about bridges. ‘You build them here it is going to take business away.’ I understand all that. We see that in Laredo. We have been working on Bridge No. 6 and people are fighting each other,” Cuellar said.
"We have got five bridges in Laredo. The rail bridge, two commercial and two non-commercials. We are supposed to build a sixth one. But people always fight about that. I have heard people in favor and I have heard people against it.”
Cuellar said he understands all that but argues there is enough business to go round.
"My position has always been, I would rather build bridges than walls but, on the bridges, there is going to be business. One way or another there is going to be business there. All you have to do is look at the numbers. The numbers are growing. Even with the pandemic.”
By way of example, Cuellar said Laredo is now moving 8,700 trucks a day across its two commercial bridges. “It is going up,” he said.
With regard to Madero, Cuellar said: “I will be supportive. I know I have heard from some of the other bridges, ‘hold on,’ but I think there will be enough business for everybody. That is my position on that.”
Editor's Note: The main image accompanying the above news story shows Mission Mayor Armando O’Caña.
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