PHARR, Texas - The Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge Board held its October meeting, where members were briefed on recent events and initiatives, the status of the second span project as well as the latest crossing figures – a point of frustration for some.
Bridge Director Luis Bazan presented the Crossings and Revenue Report for September 2023. With the exception of car crossings, the numbers showed a decrease in traffic from the previous month as well as a decrease from the same time last year.
Southbound truck crossings were down -8.89% from the previous month, -14.53% compared to September 2022, and -2.32% for the year. Northbound truck crossings were down -8.63% from the previous month, -6.07% compared to September 2022, but up 6.15% for the year. Broken down even further, agricultural trucks crossing the bridge, which represented 28% of all imports from Mexico, decreased by -1.37% from the previous month and -2.31% compared to September 2022. In total, truck crossings were down -8.76% from the previous month, -10.45% compared to September 2022 and up 1.66% for the year.
Car crossings were down from the previous month by -5.81%, but they were up by 5.98% compared to September 2022, and up 17.81% for the year. Totals crossings were down -6.38% compared to September 2022, but reflected an overall increase of 5.42% for the year.
Tensions rose, however, when the southbound recapture rate was reported by Eddie Gutierrez, bridge financial consultant and president of Blue Stone Capital Solutions, LLC. Since 2021, the southbound to northbound percentage rate has exceeded 100% annually. The same was true for the 2023 fiscal year, with the rate at 104%. But, the breakdown by month showed what Gutierrez described as “more of an alignment” with figures dipping to the high 90s from June onward.
“That’s concerning because it should continue to increase, not decrease,” said Tony Martinez, vice chairman of the bridge board. “And, that is because there’s more trucks crossing northbound through other ports. So, that just means there’s market share being lost. It’s not an alignment; it’s a loss.”
Gutierrez agreed with Martinez’s assessment, and Bazan said that they could discuss the different factors that might be contributing to the loss during executive session. Despite this, the finance report showed an increase in revenue by 2.46% since last year.
For his Bridge Director’s Report, Bazan highlighted the month’s numerous events at the bridge through their Fresh on the Border initiative, a whole week devoted to trade at the bridge. This included the 10th anniversary of the Start of Produce Season celebration, the second anniversary of the Taste of Trade and the inaugural Avocado Festival.
Bazan also reported on the launch of their latest trade talk series: Cross Check. Like BridgeConnect and the Industrial Warehouse Summits, Cross Check will be a recurring event hosted by the bridge to bring together industry stakeholders on both sides of the border to discuss trade in an open forum.
“In today’s world with so much data, so much information … it’s really hard to tell what’s fact-based and what’s not,” said Bazan at the Start of Produce season celebration. “We want to be fact-based. We want to talk about the facts, and this Cross Check event will bring together the entire logistics – the entire supply chain – … to have a candid conversation about trade.”
He added, “Sometimes they say things are good; sometimes they say things are bad. We want to make sure that we’re talking facts. And, when you bring the entire supply chain together, I think we can have this fact-based conversation.”
Bazan thanked those that participated in the event, and said that he looks forward to future Cross Check panels and conversations.
Bazan also gave an update on the Donations Acceptance Program (DAP) Projects still pending at the bridge. He says that they are almost ready to wrap up the DAP 15 Project, which included the addition of two commercial entry lanes and booths and two commercial exit lanes and booths at the port. The DAP 16 Project called for the expansion of the current dry dock and cold inspection facility as well as the construction of a new agricultural laboratory and training center for product testing and instruction for future entomologists. Bazan says that project is slated for completion in April 2024.
As for the second span, Bazan says they expect the illusive environmental impact study to be completed by January 2024. After that, he anticipates starting construction by the summer of 2024 with a completion date by October or November 2025 – something he and the city are eagerly awaiting.
“The sky’s the limit,” said Bazan. “We continue to produce an excellent product here in Pharr – all around, not just at the bridge. And, I think the Pharr International Bridge with the expansion – at 100 more percent capacity, making it more efficient – that’s going to open it up to evolve even further.”
