BROWNSVILLE, Texas - When the Texas Transportation Commission agreed to take over construction of Second Causeway to South Padre Island project, Gov. Greg Abbott was committing a billion dollars worth of investment to the Rio Grande Valley.
This is the view of Pete Sepulveda, executive director of Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority.
Sepulveda gave a detailed presentation of his group’s current projects when he spoke at a recent meeting of the South Texas Manufacturers Association. He described the Second Causeway project as “huge.”
“This is our hugest project. today It’s called State Highway 104, but this is the second causeway project,” Sepulveda said.
Support for the project is high, he said.
“You know, back in 2012 we had a public hearing for the environmental impact statement that we had prepared. Over 800 people attended the hearing. Close to 90% were in favor of the project. The other 10% were not necessarily against it. They just had comments.”
Sepulveda explained how the Second Causeway project became a responsibility of TxDOT.
“So, last December, the Texas Transportation Commission unanimously approved a minute order placing the project on their system of projects, which means that they now fund the development, the construction, the operation and the maintenance of the project,” Sepulveda said.
"That's a billion dollar investment by Governor Abbott. That's huge. That is huge because we had the project pretty much funded. (It was money) that we could save.”
Sepulveda said TxDOT and CCRMA are going through the environmental process right now.
“Right now, the schedule has us getting the environmental clearance, an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement)… in the summer of 2026.
“So, we're looking at the next 15 months getting the project environmentally clear. From there, I would guess that they (TxDOT) would follow a very similar procurement process as they just completed the Interchange project in Pharr. They will look at doing a design-build contract, which will accelerate the start of construction and the completion of the project. So, we're pretty excited about this project.”
Sepulveda admitted CCRMA’s involvement in the Second Causeway project is not without its challenges.
“It's becoming a difficult task in assigning the very limited staff that we have because it's requiring having meetings with TxDOTs and their consultants every two weeks. So it's gotten a little bit hectic,” Sepulveda said.
“And it'll get a little bit worse between now and summer of ’26 but it's a good project, and we're really looking forward to getting the project environmentally cleared.”
Sepulveda said building the Second Causeway is just one of three interrelated projects. He said the plan is to do all three at the same time.
“And so this (the Second Causeway) is just one component of three. Another component is from Edinburg to Harlingen, and that's called the I-69 Connector project. About a month ago, TxDOT had public meetings regarding that project. That will go from Edinburg to north Harlingen.”
TxDOT has about 30 to 40 percent of the I-69 Connector project funded, Sepulveda said. So, we've got some work to do there to get the remaining funds that are needed for the project.”
The third project in the interrelated series is called the Outer Parkway, Sepulveda told the STMA.
“We're developing that project as well. And then we'll connect from I-69E in Harlingen, north Harlingen, all the way to the Second Causeway, where we'll start on the mainland. We're doing the environmental document on it. It’s not funded, so we will have to work with TxDOT and get that project funded,” Sepulveda said.
“So that right now, all three schedules for environmental clearance are pretty much within range, and we need to keep them as such, so that all three can start construction in and around the same time, so they can be competed at the same time.”
Looking ahead, Sepulveda spoke of the increased connectivity all three projects will bring to the region.
“Just imagine, ten years from now, having direct connectivity from cities of Edinburg, McAllen, Mission, La Joya, all the way to South Padre Island. Huge. And why are we doing it from 509 in Harlingen? If you want to fly into Harlingen airport and visit South Padre Island, you're right there. If you want to go into Hidalgo County, you're right there.
“So, a lot of the planning that we're doing right now, a lot of the studies, is for that purpose, so that when these major projects are completed, we can have the connectivity that will be required for the whole Rio Grande Valley. So these are real improvements that we're doing right now in the city of Harlingen.”
