Coahuila Hosts Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for Bi-Lateral Highway Projects Conference
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2022
Mexican State of Coahuila Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme Solis hosted Ms. Carolyn Mays, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Director of Freight, Trade, and Connectivity, for a bi-lateral highway projects conference on Monday, July 25, 2022, in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico, concerning the immediate and future highway infrastructure projects necessary to promote and accommodate international trade between Mexico and Texas.
Former Piedras Negras, Coahuila Mayor and now Coahuila Secretariat of the Economy Claudio Bres Saenz coordinated the international bi-lateral conference. Mexico and the State of Coahuila are developing an ambitious global trade program that would transport world imports and exports from the Port of Mazatlan, Sinaloa through the States of Durango and Coahuila by highway to the Ports of Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Texas and into the United States and Canada.
The future for the Port of Eagle Pass is promising and the City of Eagle Pass is anticipated to experience “growth like never before,” according to Morris Libson, Jr., President of the Eagle Pass-Maverick County Economic Development Alliance.
Several Eagle Pass representatives attended the meeting, including Libson, Eagle Pass City Manager George Antuna, Eagle Pass International Bridge System Manager Homero Balderas, and U. S. Customs Broker Ricardo Gonzalez.
Carolyn Mays provided an update on the ongoing feasibility study of U. S. Highway 57 for upgrade and expansion into a four-lane highway from Eagle Pass to IH-35, while Coahuila Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme Solis provided an update on Coahuila’s present and future highway infrastructure projects to bring to fruition the Port of Mazatlan global trade plan.
Unquestionably, Eagle Pass strength is its strategic location on the middle Rio Grande and border with Piedras Negras, Coahuila and connectivity to Mexico Highway 57 through central Mexico and U. S. Highway 57 to IH-35. Eagle Pass and Maverick County’s future is tied to the upgrade and expansion of U.S. Highway 57 to IH-35, which is a challenge for local leaders to persuade Texas leaders and businesses that this expansion is a win, win situation for all Texans as well as Texas-Mexico international trade.
The key player to funding the expansion of U.S. Highway 57 is the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which just published its 10 year plan for Texas highway infrastructure projects at a cost of $85 Billion, but does not include funding for expansion of U.S. Highway 57.
The key issue facing Eagle Pass and Maverick County is if they have the political leadership and power to persuade TxDOT to include the expansion of U.S. Highway 57 to IH-35 in its 10 year plan announced earlier this month.
Mexico and the State of Coahuila are ready and prepared to making this happen, but TxDOT remains to be convinced otherwise. TxDOT Representative Mays left impressed what Mexico and Coahuila are doing and will report back to her Executive Director and Board of Directors.
