According to figures from the US Department of Commerce for the first quarter of this year, Mexico has generated a trade exchange with the northern neighbor worth $200.014 billion, making our country the United States’ main partner with a 15.8% share of the total.
In this context, Laredo remains the main commercial port of the United States. During the same period, goods worth $79.9 billion were exchanged, representing an increase of 2.72% compared to the same cycle in 2023.
Recognizing the importance for both countries’ economies, US President Joe Biden signed the permit to approve the expansion of the World Trade Bridge connecting Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, with Laredo, Texas, according to a statement from the White House.
According to Congressman Henry Cuellar’s website, the objective is to have an additional eight-lane bridge northbound, while southbound, it aims to expand to 10 lanes. That is, a total of 18 lanes.
The presidential permit will trigger the technical preparation for the bridge expansion, with construction estimated to begin in 2026 and operations commencing in 2027, according to statements from Laredo Mayor Víctor Treviño to local media.
Alongside the presidential permit granted to Laredo, Joe Biden also signed the permit for the expansion of the Brownsville and Los Indios bridges in Texas, which connect with Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
According to Édgar Zamorano, delegate of the National Chamber of Cargo Transport (Canacar) in Reynosa, the expansion of the bridges covered by the presidential permit will benefit the region, especially due to increased activity at the Port of Brownsville.
Based on information shared by the Port of Brownsville with T21, in 2023, it ranked among the top 50 maritime ports in the United States, reaching 17.8 million tons, 17% higher than the 2022 figure.
