Reprint from the Progress Times - April 6, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Ground Expected To Be Broken For Bridge In May

A long-time dream of many Mission business people and others is expected to finally begin to become a reality early in May.

That’s when ground is expected to be broken for the Anzalduas Bridge, which will provide a big economic shot in the arm for the Mission area. The bridge will result in more and more shoppers from Reynosa and other Mexican points making Mission their destination.

"It will be absolutely the best crossing for shoppers living on the west side of Reynosa or from Monterrey," said Pat Townsend Jr., president/CEO of the Mission Economic Development Authority (MEDA).

The next big step will be awarding a contract for construction of the bridge on the U.S. side.

That contract will be awarded, possibly on April 23, by the McAllen City Commission which by agreement provides that McAllen, Hidalgo and Mission will jointly oversee operations. Construction is expected to take 20 to 24 months.

The Anzalduas Bridge Board is made up of mayors of the three cities, along with two appointees named by McAllen.

The bridge is expected to cost an estimated $28.5 million, which will be repaid primarily from bridge revenues.

"Initially, the biggest beneficiary will be Reynosa with its one million residents," said Townsend. "It will also be a benefit for the four million people living in Monterrey."

He pointed out the new bridge will make it easier for Mexican shoppers to cross the Rio Grande into the U.S.

"The Hidalgo/Reynosa area is becoming too congested and lots of shoppers on both sides of the river are reluctant to fight those lines," he said.

Townsend said that once the Anzalduas Bridge is completed, no trucks will be allowed to cross northbound.

"They will continue to be routed to the Pharr bridge, which handles most of the truck traffic," he said. "The U.S. government can’t afford to have x-ray technology everywhere."

The MEDA official said actions must still be taken by the General Services Administration, the International Boundary and Water Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department before the final contract is awarded.

Diplomatic agreements also must be finalized with Mexico before actual construction gets underway.

Townsend said obtaining a bridge has long been a desire of Mission. He said a group began laying the groundwork for such a bridge in 1988-89, with a bridge fund established in 1991.

He said while there have been no firm commitments, MEDA has been contacted by several companies, developers and retailers about bridge plans and effects of those plans on the area’s economy.