Rodriguez: We can find the $2 billion needed for the county loop project

PHARR, Texas – The executive director Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority says he is confident his group can find the money to complete the long-awaited County Loop project.

Pilar Rodriguez says the sections HCRMA is currently working on with the Texas Department of Transportation have cost around $1.5 billion. Therefore, it should be possible to find the additional $2 billion needed to complete the project. 

“Of the long term projects, you’re talking about a capital effort of about $2 billion, with a ‘b.’ That is approximately what we need to finish up Section A, Section C, Section E, and Section F. A little over $2 billion, in today’s dollars,” Rodriguez said.

“But I think we can pull it off. I mean, between the three projects that that we’ve undertaken with our partnership with TxDOT, you’re looking at easily a billion and a half already of improvements that are going into the ground or about to go into the ground shortly. So if we can knock out a billion and a half, we can certainly take on two billion.”

Rodriguez gave these bullish comments in an exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service at the recent Pharr State of the City Address. 

In the interview, Rodriguez talked about a new version of HCRMA’s rolling strategic plan, the short-, mid-, and long-term components of the County Loop project, new chairmanship of his group, and the I-69 Connector.

Here is a video recording of the interview:

Story continued

Ruben Alfaro, HCRMA’s development engineer, was keynote speaker at a recent meeting of the South Texas Manufacturers Association. The meeting was held at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel in McAllen. 

In his PowerPoint presentation, Alfaro spoke about: 

• East & West Loops around Hidalgo County metro areas
• SH365 Truck Overweight Corridor along Military Hwy, which is currently under construction
• The International Bridge Trade Corridor – connecting Donna/Pharr Bridge truck traffic to I-69.
• Road Improvements from Military Hwy to I-69 
• Current estimated completion date of TXDOT project underway on 281/I-69 Interchange in Pharr 

Here is the PowerPoint Alfaro presented:

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