MCALLEN, Texas - Trucks heading into the United States from Mexico via Anzalduas International Bridge will be able to cross six or seven hours faster than if they cross in Laredo, McAllen City Manager Isaac Tawil says.
Tawil was asked when Anzalduas will be ready to accept fully loaded trucks when he spoke at a McAllen Chamber of Commerce luncheon sponsored by Rhodes Enterprises. The question came from McAllen City Commissioner Pepe Cabeza De Vaca.
“Anzalduas full cargo is coming along. It is going to be CTPAT, FAST-certified, and is going to be exclusive in those categories. What does that mean? That means that the cargo coming across that bridge is already predetermined to be safe, will be subject to minimal inspections and flow freely,” Tawil said.
“We have met with logistics clusters, trucking clusters in Mexico. The difference for them distance-wise, depending on where they're coming from, maybe 40 kilometers in Mexico to get from Laredo to our bridge. They will save an average of six to seven hours per truck crossing the bridge. That is tremendous.”
Tawil continued: “So, a huge opportunity to move commerce from Mexico into the United States. And we know that the cargo coming across our bridges within about seven days winds up coast to coast in the United States. So a tremendous opportunity.”
Tawil then spoke about the impact Anzalduas International Bridge will have on the economy. “The impact that it (Anzalduas International Bridge) is going to have on this economy, the opportunity for industrial development and warehousing is off the charts.”
Tawil thanked McAllen’s superintendent of bridges, Juan Olaguibel for the part he played in getting the bridge ready to take fully loaded trucks.
“Juan, through our diplomatic communications in Mexico, has resolved the challenges that we had in getting Mexico to finish their side of that project, and so we are looking forward, again, in the next couple of months… supply chain issues, yes, we're still talking about this… but as soon as we get the last bit of inspection equipment and boots in on the government side, we'll be ready to rock and roll there.
“So, we are super excited and really thrilled with the job that Juan did in stringing that project together. It was politically complicated, required coordination between three local municipalities and two world nations, but Juan was able to do it, and the opportunity is incredible.”
Tawil also spoke about the need for trucks traveling north on Bryan from Anzalduas being able to travel seamlessly onto I-2 without having to stop at a traffic light. He said he made his views known on this issue when he attended a Texas Freight Advisory Committee meeting in Amarillo. He said he made an impact.
“I sat down and I said, my name is Isaac Tawil, city manager in McAllen, and TxDOT has completely missed the mark. We've got this bridge coming online, and Anzalduas Highway dead ends at the expressway at the stop sign, and that is not going to work. And everybody in the room stopped to look (at me). I got an email the next day. Can we hold the next meeting in McAllen? And can you give us a tour of your project?”
