In March of next year, the expansion of the facilities at the Pharr International Bridge will become operational , with the aim of increasing capacity and efficiency in this infrastructure.
Luis Bazán, director of the Pharr International Bridge, commented in an interview with T21 that the second phase is 70% complete, although there is a deadline with the construction company, which is January 13th, so that the closing of various processes can take place next month and thus begin in March 2026.
“The benefit is that we will have fast lanes from Mexico to the United States, from the beginning of the customs route until we exit into the United States. This means that everything that is certified will pass through faster, the crossing will be more efficient, and ultimately we will have these lanes that not all bridges have,” he explained.
He explained that another benefit will be improving the times, which are currently between 45 minutes and one hour, so the products that have the certification will be reduced to between 10 and 15 minutes .
“The goal is for more companies to see the value, that we have this chain of certificates, and that they can join and cross over faster,” he said.
Bazán also mentioned that there is another project focused on imports that will be finalized in August or September of next year.
“We are going to optimize cold chain inspections, improve inspection processes; basically, these are new platforms. We are expanding the platform for all dry goods and cold storage facilities for agricultural products. Along with this comes a new agricultural center and laboratory for the region where training will be offered in the future,” he emphasized.
According to the executive, the expansion of the bridge’s infrastructure, on the Mexican side, has already been completed and has begun operations.
Luis Bazán explained that in September of this year alone, compared to the same month in 2024, there has been a growth of almost 17% in freight transport from the United States to Mexico, as well as a growth of almost 5% in total revenue by the ninth month of 2025.
In 2024, $50 billion in trade crossed the Pharr International Bridge , representing an 8% increase in exports and a 10% decrease in imports.
Given the tariff policy and uncertainty, Bazán pointed out that “we turn it around and see opportunities” to increase the efficiency with which they operate, so they will seek to expand the hours of operation of the customs offices that exist in this infrastructure.
“We need to extend operating hours to ensure everyone is on the same schedule, since Mexico currently closes at 4:00 PM on holidays, but there are many other things that need to be done.” We are living in uncertain times, but we must negotiate. We have the opportunity to be at the table, to be on the platforms, to be part of the discussions, because we represent the carriers, clients, customs brokers, the entire supply chain,” he emphasized.
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