PHARR, Texas - Wait times for trucks crossing the Pharr International Bridge could be eliminated all together once the eagerly-awaited second span is opened next year.
That is the prediction of Luis Bazan, the bridge’s director. The $44 million project, due to be completed in early 2026, will add four more lanes, doubling capacity.
“Once we have the bridge expansion, guess what? That (wait) time is going to be cut in half or even more, because the the whole purpose of having an expansion is that we can cut back and start, not just cutting back, but eliminating wait times,” Bazan said.
“When we first started working with our federal partners, Customs and Border Protection, on these projects, including the bridge expansion, we said we're not going to get anything done unless we reduce the amount of time that it takes from a truck to get from point A to point B. Desde de la inicio de la ruta fiscal del lado Mexicano hasta la salida del puerto aquí en Pharr.
“Ten, 15, minutes tops for all those conveyances that are certified. That's what we're looking at. We're not building a bridge to stand on top of the bridge, to park on the bridge. We're building a bridge to cross that bridge to make us more efficient.”
Bazan made his comments in the keynote presentation at Pharr Economic Development Corporation’s 2025 Industrial Warehouse Summit. The event was held at the Pharr Research & Development Center.
He referenced the second span in his concluding remarks also,
“Then, the last one, as I mentioned, the bridge expansion. So, we're very excited about this because, again, this is going to give us double the capacity, two fast lanes, free and secure trade lanes coming in from Mexico to the US.
“What is this going to do? It's going to allow us to reach our goal of getting more companies to become certified. Because now you don't have to wait in line and cross the bridge to finally get to your SENTRI lane, or to your fast lane or to your certified lane. Now, you'll be able to get it all the way from Mexico, officially, all the way to the US.”
Bazan also spoke in-depth about the volume and value of bridge crossings at the Pharr International Bridge. Here is a video recording showing the highlights of his presentation:
Editor's Note: Reporter Daniela Capistran contributed to this story from Brownsville.
