City of Eagle Pass Holds Public Meeting on $19.5 Million Camino Real International Bridge Realignment Project
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2024
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas held a public meeting for comments regarding its proposed $19.5 million upgrade and realignment of roadways leading to and from the Camino Real International Bridge (Bridge No. 2) on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at the Multi-Purpose Center in Eagle Pass with project supervisor Michael Riojas of RRP Consulting Engineers, LLC and staff present to answer any and all questions concerning the project.
Also present at the public meeting was Eagle Pass City Manager Homero Balderas and Eagle Pass International Bridge System Supervisor Laura Sanchez to discuss the project and alternatives being considered for the realignment of the roadways of the Camino Real International Bridge.
The proposed project will realign ingress roadways associated with the existing Camino Real Port of Entry facility and construct a new location roadway to establish a direct connection from Ward Street to the Port of Enttry. The proposed project is intended to: 1) improve traffic flow to and from the Port of Entry facility and 2) reduce travel times associated with crossing the Camino Real International Bridge and 3) improve travel safety in the vicinity of the Bridge.
Additional right-of-way would be required to implement the proposed project. Some City buildings or facilities may be displaced as a result of the construction of the project such as Moncada Baseball Park in Fort Duncan.
The City of Eagle Pass received a federal grant of $5.5 million towards the project cost of $19.5 million through the intervention of Congressman Tony Gonzales.
The project engineering firm of RRP Consulting Engineers, LLC of San Antonio, Texas has designed and presented five alternatives available to the proposed realignment project that the public are invited to comment on.
Eagle Pass citizens and stakeholders may submit written comments regarding the proposed realignment project and the five alternatives available by mail to: RRP Consulting Engineers, LLC, Camino Real International Bridge Realignment Project, 5805 Callaghan Road, Suite 202, San Antonio, Texas 78228 by no later than May 9, 2024. Written comments may also submitted by email to: CaminoReal@rrpeng.com by May 9, 2024.
City Manager Homero Balderas stated the realignment project is to benefit the motor vehicle and commercial truck drivers using the Camino Real International Bridge crossing Eagle Pass into Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico and to improve the crossing times through more efficient and improved roadways to the bridge and the Port of Entry.
Construction is anticipated to commence in October 2024 and take up to two years to complete the realignment of roadways project (2026).
