McAllen, Mission host SLP delegation at Anzalduas International Bridge

MISSION, Texas – With a delegation of officials from San Luis Potosi (SLP) in tow, the City of McAllen Bridge Department held a press conference to update the public on the ongoing Anzalduas International Bridge expansion and take questions regarding international relations between the Mexican state and leadership on the US side.

The delegation included SLP Gov. Ricardo Gallardo Cardona and his wife, newly elected SLP state Sen. Ruth González Silva; SLP Secretary General Guadalupe Torres Sánchez; SLP Secretariat of Economic Development Jesus Salvador González Martínez; and Fermín Rodriguez Sosa, managing director and founder of Gener@ Softlanding, an industrial site selection and soft-landing service provider.

Representing the City of McAllen were McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos, McAllen Superintendent of Bridges Juan Olaguibel, McAllen International Relations Director Daniella Plata, and McAllen Communications Director Xochitl Mora. From the City of Mission were Mission Mayor Norie González Garza and Mission Economic Development Corporation CEO Teclo Garcia. Carlos Rodriguez, U.S. Customs and Border Protection port director for the Hidalgo, Pharr and Anzalduas ports of entry, was also present.

González Garza kicked off the briefing with some prepared remarks, explaining the importance of the bridge to both sides.

“The Anzalduas Bridge is more than just a structure,” said González Garza. “It’s a vital link that connects our two regions, facilitating trade, travel and cultural exchange. The bridge is currently used by travelers to access the Rio Grande Valley, Texas and beyond. And now, its development of commercial expansion is a testament to our commitment to enhancing cross-border collaboration and economic growth. Gov. Gallardo Cardona, your visit today underscores the strong and growing relationships between Mission, our area, the City of McAllen and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. We are excited to explore the immense potential of trade and investment that this partnership holds.”

In his comments, Villalobos also addressed Cardona directly and thanked him for sharing his vision of growth and economic opportunity through the bridge.

“I’m very glad that we have our Gov. Gallardo today because I think that he has the same beliefs that we do,” said Villalobos. “What’s important is commerce and trade because without commerce and trade, we don’t have what’s necessary for our families …  We know what is happening with the near-shoring in Nuevo León, in San Luis Potosi, and the competition between the two states – San Luis Potosi, Nuevo León, and even Tamaulipas. Incredible things are happening, and right here in our area. Great things are happening.”

Gallardo Cardona gave the final words to attendees before the short Q&A session. He reiterated his commitment and that of the state to the leadership of Mission and McAllen and spoke of the economic impact the bridge could potentially have in the area. He also noted that a new four-lane highway from San Luis Potosi to Monterrey will streamline trade between SLP and Nuevo León and make the border even more accessible for the state.

“I really want to congratulate our mayors Norie González of Mission and Julio [Javier] Villalobos of McAllen and the whole team for this great project that they are putting together and building in this great city,” said Gallardo Cardona in Spanish “… San Luis is a great ally, an ally that will work hand in hand with the mayors … We export more than $5 billion at the moment. And, for us, to have or be close to having a bridge that will ease logistics, reduce costs, and, above all, that will drive more companies to come invest in our city to ultimately ensure that – loads and unloads, imports and exports – Mexico and the United States will benefit from this great investment that we are making today with our mayors. Therefore, it was important for us to come and support this project.”

San Luis Potosi is one of the largest automotive manufacturing hubs in Mexico, with companies like General Motors and BMW as part of their portfolio. Since the pandemic, near-shoring has greatly benefited Mexico as businesses have relocated plants closer to their end markets. This, in turn, has created increased interest and investment in infrastructure to transport these goods into and out of the country more efficiently. Through the Anzalduas expansion, Mission and McAllen hope to capture a portion of the traffic and spur economic growth in the area.

“Mexico has been a recipient of a lot of investment, especially San Luis in bringing auto parts, air conditioning, other sort of appliance production to the state, and that gets transported by truck to the U.S.,” said Garcia. “… We’ve been to San Luis twice in the last two years, trying to cultivate this relationship, and in addition to that, promote the Anzalduas Bridge. San Luis is a huge manufacturing base, and a lot of their exports – as the mayor mentioned – are on truck, and they use Laredo, which is great. But, with this bridge coming online early next year sometime, we want to be able to take advantage of that and bring attention to this bridge to a state like San Luis … but, the bottom line is: more jobs, more creation, more crossings.”

Garcia says the project is expected to be complete by April 2025, barring any further supply chain delays. The expansion includes constructing inbound and outbound commercial inspection facilities – equipped with the latest technology – and paving improvements. Currently, the bridge only allows empty trucks to cross, but will be open for fully loaded cargo trucks once the expansion is finished. The Anzalduas International Bridge will focus, however, on dry goods and manufacturing, leaving fresh produce to the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge.

With a $25 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grant, a $22 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation, and a $63 million loan to the City of McAllen from North American Development Bank, the final price for the project is over $100 million. The investment is worth it to city leaders, though, as they anticipate the bridge to be at full capacity soon after opening to commercial crossings. Villalobos is so confident, he said the city is already having discussions about constructing a second span for passenger traffic only.

González Martínez, who had close talks with Mission leaders and spearheaded the effort to bring down the delegation, agreed with the enthusiasm.

“I see a promising future and anticipate many will take advantage of the current world economic situation, which is why we are working to promote major investment into our state,” said González Martínez in Spanish. “One final point is that the North American market and these types of bridges, these types of infrastructure will facilitate a lot of the commerce that will take place.”

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