BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS - Roma’s mayor has given an update on his city’s efforts to get more truck crossings on the Roma-Miguel Aleman International Bridge and the new Las Americas Logistics and Industrial Park.
In an in-depth interview with the RGG Business Journal, secured, strangely, in Brownsville, Jaime Escobar, Jr., said commercial activity at the bridge is growing.
“We've been increasing our traffic count, from 20 commercial vehicles per day five years ago to 200-plus right now, on a daily basis,” Escobar said. “The value of the imports that are brought in are almost one billion dollars. So, we're breaking records left and right. But what we want people to know and investors to know is… look to smaller ports of entry, not just the the bigger ones that offer a lot of opportunities; to consider the Roma-Miguel Aleman crossing and to invest in our new park.”
Escobar said the city and its economic development organization is “working hard” to bring more manufacturing companies to the region.
“We've talked to people in the city of Apodaca, close to Monterrey. Right now, our city manager, as I speak, is in the Guadalajara area, trying to speak to other manufacturing companies to see how they can have a footprint here in Roma as well.”
Escobar said he wished the number of tenants signing up for the 360-acre Las Americas Logistics and Industrial Park was moving at a faster clip. But, he said, he understands why they are not.
“Out of the 21 lots that have been developed so far, we've sold six. So, yes, we started off positively but it has been a little slower (than we would have liked). We talk to investors. Some of them are telling us they want to see how everything pans out with the tariffs. They say they want to see a little bit more stability. But the talks have been great. We've talked to a lot of Mexican investors that are still very much interested. They love our bridge crossing in Roma. It's the quickest and shortest route from Monterrey to the Valley and to the rest of Texas.”
Escobar said getting the number of truck movements at the Roma bridge up to 200 a day is good. But a much higher goal has been set.
“Our goal is to reach 1,000 trucks a day in the next five years. And I think it's going to happen. It may not jump from 200 to 1,000 overnight. We think it's going to take about five years or so,” Escobar said.
“But more and more companies and transportation companies are finding out about our crossing. They know it has unified cargo inspections. They know that's a huge advantage that we offer in Roma. Customer service there at the port of entry, with our port director Andy Guerra, is excellent. So there are just so many advantages to using our port of entry. So, I think we're definitely headed in the right direction. We're very optimistic about the future and about our economy.”
Escobar was asked how crucial the new industrial park is to Roma. He replied:
“When I came into office back in 2020 the focus was to reinvigorate our economy, create a type of catalyst… not reinvent the wheel, but to try to capitalize on something that was already in existence, which was the import-export industry. So we decided to listen to the investors. We listened to the demands of many of the companies that needed an in-and-out service, that needed warehouses.
“So, we decided to invest about $12 million - of course a lot of that has been federal grants and different forms of funding - and things are looking good. I think the people from our community are excited about it. We have not created the types of jobs that we were forecasting. It has been a little slower. A lot of properties have been purchased, but the actual building of the structures and setting up shop for these companies has been a little slower than what we anticipated. But we think in the next two years, things are going to kind of hurry up a little bit.”
Escobar continued: “I want for things to occur sooner and quicker, but it's just taking some time, and I want our community members to understand that. But, at the end of the day, this development is going to have a huge impact on our economy, locally and throughout the Valley.”
The Business Journal also asked Escobar about the Texas Department of Transportation’s plans to provide an interstate through Starr County, allowing Laredo and the Valley to be better connected. Escobar said:
“I think that's going to be a game changer when Loop 195 comes into play, and I think we're about five years away from that. I am not actually sure if that is the completion date, or the start date. I believe we're some time away.
“But 195 is going to be a game changer, because once our trucks come into Roma, they go to the industrial park. We ourselves are going to create a road that's going to connect straight to Loop 195 and so these trucks don't have to worry about going through town or going through Rio Grande City, they’ll hit 195 and make their way up north to whatever community is their final destination. So I'm very thrilled about Loop 195.”
Editor's Note: Here is a video recording of the interview with Mayor Escobar:
Editor's Note: Here is a video the City of Roma commissioned about the Las Americas Logistics and Industrial Park:
