Villalobos: We want to build a second span at Anzalduas International Bridge

4 months ago 134

MCALLEN, Texas – The cities of McAllen and Mission have not even completed an expansion project to allow fully loaded trucks to travel north- and south-bound on Anzalduas International Bridge and they are already thinking ahead.

City leaders are working on plans to build a second span at the bridge, probably to separate passenger vehicles from truck traffic.

Confirmation that a second span is on the radar came from McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos in an exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.

“We’re already starting to talk about that, think about it, the engineering, the cost,” Villalobos said. “As soon as we open (the bridge to fully loaded trucks), we know that based on our studies, the demand is going to be there.”

Villalobos gave his interview to the Guardian at the recent MxLAN International Economic Summit. He said the idea of a second span for Anzalduas came up when transportation leaders met recently for a private roundtable discussion at the bridge.

“I don’t necessarily think we compete with other bridges because there’s so much for everybody. But I think we know already that we are going to have to expand and we’re ready for that,” Villalobos said.

Asked if one span would be for trucks and the other for the passenger vehicles, Villalobos said:

“That’s kind of what we’re looking at. We’re trying to separate as much as possible always the tractor trailers and expedite everything.”

The Guardian also asked Villalobos about land development around Anzalduas International Bridge – something that would benefit the tax base of both Mission and McAllen.

“People know what’s coming (with the fully loaded trucks) and people are trying, of course, to develop. It is no secret we had a company that we were 99 percent pretty much guaranteed was already going to be located there. Unfortunately, there was some changes in the federal administration, and it didn’t happen. But people know that is going to be the hot area. And that’s what we need. We need to develop,” Villalobos said.

The company Villalobos was referring to was CubicPV, out of Bedford, Massachusetts. The company looked set to build a $2 billion silicon wafer manufacturing plant in south McAllen but changed its mind at the last minute.

Hidalgo County Loop

In his interview, Mayor Villalobos spoke also about the long-awaited Hidalgo County Loop. He reminded the Guardian that he had spoken about the project previously to the international news service and was chided as being a dreamer, that it would never happen.

The Guardian put it to Villalobos that critics were dismissive of the idea.

“You know what, they were. But I kept on saying, every time you talk, you keep on saying loop. And you keep on pushing and you keep on talking to our legislators and it will happen. But (always) thinking as a region and that’s what’s going on.”

Villalobos said the subject of a county loop came up at the private roundtable discussion held recently at Anzalduas International Bridge. Among those participating, Villalobos said, were the chairman of the state Senate Committee on Transportation, Sen. Robert Nichols, the chairman of the state House Committee on Transportation, Rep. Terry Canales, and state Sen. Juan Hinojosa.

“We discussed the necessity of a loop, the necessity of an interchange because we knew (the expansion) of Anzalduas (International Bridge) was coming,” Villalobos said.

Asked if planners had settled on where the loop would be positioned on the east side of the county, Villalobos said possibly between Alamo and Donna. “They’re still kind of debating that,” he said.

The biggest issue to resolve as far as the loop is concerned is where to position it in the north of Hidalgo County, Villalobos said.

“The issue right is where will it connect back to I-69 (Central),” Villalobos’s said.

Asked if the county loop would be built close to land the City of McAllen has purchased for heavy industry, Villalobos said: “I don’t know whether it’ll be right through there, but it should be close. Our leaders, our administration, we’re always thinking of the future. We know we’re going to make it work. So, what do we do? We need to be at the forefront of everything and the forefront for commerce and trade. We know we need property so what did we do? The City McAllen bought 1,000 plus acres, because we need to make sure that we have what is needed at the time that we need it.”

The interchange Villalobos was referring to is a project to have a non-stop connector between I-2 and Bryan Road, which feeds Anzalduas International Bridge.

“And that’s coming,” Villalobos said. “The Loop, of course, is a little more difficult. It’ll take a lot more money, but the interest is there. I know they (the state senators and representatives) are pushing, they’re pushing with us, and it is going to happen a lot sooner than a lot of people expect.”

Asked how long the I-2/Bryan Road connector might take to complete, Villalobos said: “It will take some time. You have environmental issues, then you have the planning, the engineering, so it will take some time. But that is pretty much in the works. That is going to happen.”

Villalobos added that the expansion project to allow fully loaded trucks to cross Anzalduas International Bridge both ways would hopefully be finished by February 2025.

Editor’s Note: Here is a video interview with McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos that took place during the MxLAN International Economic Summit at the McAllen Convention Center. In the interview, Villalobos discussed MxLAN, regional cooperation, the Hidalgo County Loop, and Anzalduas International Bridge, among other topics.