HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) — President Donald Trump has approved building a separate pedestrian-only international bridge connecting Matamoros, Mexico, to Brownsville, Texas.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr., on Thursday announced that construction can begin on a separate pedestrian bridge to be located near the Gateway International Bridge. The two-lane bridge will be built over the Rio Grande and connect the two border cities.
Trump on Wednesday issued the permit for construction of the new Gateway Pedestrian International Bridge to begin.
It is expected to cost $10 million and has been in the works since Cameron County and the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA) in December began collaborating on the project.
Fast-track approval of the project has come because of a special federal law that allows presidential permits to be issued for international crossings in Cameron, Maverick and Webb counties while federal environmental studies are ongoing.
However, if environmental concerns are raised during the construction process, then the project will be halted, according to the legislation.
A presidential permit also has been issued to begin construction on the new Flor de Mayo International Bridge in Cameron County. This four-lane vehicular bridge will connect north Brownsville to Matamoros, Mexico. It’s expected to cost $25 million and could be open by May 31, 2029.
Under this fast-track process, presidential permits have also been issued for a new bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, connecting to Piedras Negras, Mexico. As well as the expansion of three existing bridges, as well as the creation of a futuristic freight corridor connecting Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo León, Mexico.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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