City of Eagle Pass Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Camino Real International Bridge
By: Victoria Martinez, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2024
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the Camino Real International Bridge, also known as Bridge No. 2, at a commemorative ceremony held on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at the Eagle Pass International Bridge System Administration, located at 597 S. Monroe Street, in Eagle Pass, Texas with public dignitaries from the cities of Eagle Pass and its sister city, Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico in attendance to commemorate the historic mark.
Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. welcomed the distinguished public dignitaries and guests to the 25th Anniversary ceremony, stating that September 25th is a special day in the City of Eagle Pass and the Camino Real International Bridge is the heartbeat of the City of Eagle Pass” contributing almost 50% of the City’s annual fiscal year budget.
State of Coahuila International Trade Commissioner for Coahuila and Texas Relations, Claudio Bres Garza, stated the opening of the Camino Real International Bridge at the Port of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Coahuila transformed the economies of both border cities as well as the states of Coahuila and Texas. He noted being the Municipal President of Piedras Negras, Coahuila when the Camino Real International Bridge opened on September 25, 1999, Rogelio Montemayor Seguy was the Governor of Coahuila, and George W. Bush was the Governor of Texas.
Trade Commissioner Bres Garza added that the future of the Camino Real International Bridge will significantly impact the growth of international trade between Mexico and the United States, requiring that the bridge be expanded from six lanes to 12 lanes to handle the exponential growth anticipated in the future. He noted that Mexico and the State of Coahuila have completed the construction of the infrastructure required in Mexico for the expansion to 12 lanes and are awaiting the City of Eagle Pass to obtain their Presidential Permit Amendment to expand the bridge to 12 lanes and construct its share of the expansion project.
Mayor Salinas stated the City of Eagle Pass is working on the 12 lane expansion and will be submitting its Application for the Presidential Permit Amendment by November 1, 2024 and should receive approval within a year or less.
On August 26, 2024, City of Eagle Pass officials, including Mayor Salinas, City Manager Homero Balderas, Eagle Pass International Bridge System General Manager Ronnie Rivera, and its bridge expansion engineering firm and consultant LJS Engineering met with Coahuila Governor Manolo Jimenez Salinas, City of Piedras Negras, Coahuila officials, and both American and Mexican Customs agencies to brief them on the status of the Camino Real International Bridge expansion project, advising their Mexican counterparts that the City of Eagle Pass will be submitting its Application for Presidential Permit Amendment to 12 lanes by November 1, 2024, that Eagle Pass is currently working with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in the realignment of the transportation logistics (roadways) to the Camino Real International Bridge, and the future design and construction of the 12 lane expansion project thereafter.
At the August 26th meeting, Mayor Salinas advised Governor Manolo Jimenez Salinas that the City estimates construction on the realignment of the transportation logistics project to commence in March or April of 2025. In addition, Mayor Salinas further advised Governor Manolo Jimenez Salinas that construction on the expansion of Camino Real International Bridge to 12 lanes is estimated to commence in January 2028 and is expected to be completed within one and a half to two years thereafter.
Coahuila Governor Manolo Jimenez Salinas stated in an interview in a Mexican press concerning the August 26th meeting with Eagle Pass city officials that he was worried that Mexico would complete its part of the expansion of the bridge, but might be left building a one-legged bridge if Eagle Pass does not complete its share of the expansion. Privately, Mexican officials are concerned that the City of Eagle Pass is two and a half years behind schedule as Mexico has completed its share of the expansion.
On the 25th Anniversary of the Camino Real International Bridge, the City of Eagle Pass and the State of Coahuila signed a commemorative agreement that they both support the City of Eagle Pass’ expansion project. Mayor Salinas, Coahuila International Trade Representative Claudio Bres Garza, and City Manager Homero Balderas signed the agreement at the September 25th ceremony.
Among the public dignitaries present at the historic 25th Anniversary ceremony included Consul of Mexico at Eagle Pass, Texas Vivian Juarez Mondragon, former Mayor Rogelio Flores, former Mayor Luis Sifuentes, former Mayor Pro-Tem Malena Herrera, Eagle Pass International Bridge System General Manager Ronnie Rivera, Eagle Pass Water Works Water System Board President Johnny Ruiz and Vice-President Diana Salinas, Eagle Pass Marketing and Tourism Director Aide Castano, Mexican Congressman Guillermo “Memo” Ruiz, and many others.
The Port of Eagle Pass is the fastest growing port of entry on the United States-Mexico border, according to Ken Roberts, CEO of WorldCity. “In 2023, the Port of Eagle Pass recorded a total of $37.14 billion in two-way trade with the world,” Ken Roberts said. The Port of Eagle Pass has a railway port owned by Union Pacific Railroad and the land bridge of Camino Real International Bridge, owned by the City of Eagle Pass on the United States-side and the State of Coahuila on the Mexican-side. By the year 2050, international trade experts estimate the Port of Eagle Pass will handle up to $750 billion in export and import trade.
