New rail bridge, linking Texas with Tamaulipas state of Mexico, inaugurated last Thursday

On Thursday, February 6, the Patrick K. Ottensmeyer International Rail Bridge was officially inaugurated. The project was completed with the support of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Mexico (CPKC) in collaboration with Mexico’s Infrastructure, Communications, and Transport Ministry (SICT).

This project is highly significant, as the bridge serves as the only rail crossing over the Rio Grande, linking Laredo, Texas, with Nuevo Laredo in Mexico’s Tamaulipas state. Alongside the existing primary trade corridor between the U.S. and Mexico, the bridge effectively doubles capacity, enabling 24-hour bidirectional rail traffic.

Óscar del Cueto, President of CPKC Mexico, stated that the project cost $100 million. Approximately 1,200 meters of track were constructed in both countries, while the bridge itself spans around 350 meters. With these enhancements, the bridge will exceed the previous capacity of 28 to 32 trains per day, with 100-120 cars per train. He emphasized the importance of the project in strengthening connectivity between Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. Additionally, he mentioned that an additional $240 million has been allocated for various infrastructure expansion and enhancement projects.

Furthermore, the Mexican government is planning to expand its railway network capacity for passenger services by over 3,000 km. Andrés Lajous, head of Mexico’s Rail Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF), highlighted that Sheinbaum’s goal is to double the country’s rail cargo volume, necessitating further infrastructure development.

Overall, AMF data indicates that Mexican railway operators aim to establish direct connections to major consumer markets in the U.S. and Canada. Currently, approximately 61 trains cross daily through seven border points in Baja California, Sonora, Coahuila, Chihuahua, and Tamaulipas, transporting nearly 500,000 tons of cargo.