(Photo: RGG/Steve Taylor):McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez speaks at the official opening of Anzalduas International Bridge on Monday.
Under a presidential permit, cargo traffic is not permitted to use Anzalduas until the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge averages 15,000 northbound commercial vehicles per week, or until 2015. Currently, the bridge averages about 9,000. The City of Pharr depends heavily on bridge fees.
Cortez said it makes no sense to under-utilize the Anzalduas Bridge. He hinted at a unified bridge system that could see revenues collected from trucks crossing the international bridges of the Rio Grande Valley or at least Hidalgo County pooled together and distributed equitably.
“Now we have this valuable asset, let us not waste it by under-utilizing it. For us to be able to compete in this global economy our region needs not just one bridge but a system of bridges so that we can become the most efficient region for companies to relocate. An efficient system of legal ports of entries is essential to us to continue to attract new companies to our region,” Cortez said.
“Let us not waste our investment by not allowing commercial truck traffic to cross on this bridge. Commercial truck congestion has long been a key obstacle in developing efficient trade.”
Anzalduas International Bridge has only been open since mid-December. In his speech, Cortez said that companies and customs agents are already “begging” that the Anzalduas bridge board at least allow an empty truck trailer to cross the bridge.
McAllen banker Carlos Garza chairs the McAllen International Toll Bridge Board. Speaking immediately after the opening ceremony, Garza said it is not a forgone conclusion that allowing trucks to use Anzalduas will inevitably hurt Pharr.
“If Pharr did lose out it would only be short lived and temporary. We need to think not about how we cut the pie but how we grow the pie. If we made this a bridge system and make it easier to cross, we all benefit.” Garza said.
Garza said it is likely that Pharr will always be the bridge for hazardous cargo and agricultural products. He also urged the Mexican government to use its political muscle to allow commercial truck traffic on Anzalduas.
After the official ceremony concluded the City of McAllen hosted a luncheon for U.S. and Mexican dignitaries at the McAllen Convention Center. At that event, former McAllen Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Mike Allen reminded the Guardian that the original idea for a bridge at Anzalduas came about because of the need to get trucks moving more quickly and cheaply to and from the maquiladoras in Reynosa.
“We are competing with China right now so we have to reduce costs. The key thing for our community is to have multiple crossing points, in Donna, in Pharr, in McAllen, everywhere. That is what helps business,” Allen said.
Pat Townsend, president and CEO of Mission Economic Development Authority, told the Guardian that he had sympathy for Pharr elected officials because their first responsibility is to their voters and taxpayers. “There is only so far you can go in being Valley-minded or Metro-minded when you have a responsibility to the taxpayers and the voters who elected you,” Townsend said. “We have to make sure there is no negative impact on the taxpayers and the general treasury of Pharr. Tell me how you do that?”
Townsend said an improvement in the general economy would help because that would mean more trade with Mexico.
Allen first proposed a bridge in the Mission area when he went down to Mexico City with commercial real estate developer Mike Blum in 1993.
“My thought was economic development but we also knew it would open up a retail gateway into the interior of Mexico. At that time, Reynosa was not as big as it is now,” Allen said.
“I think you are going to be very surprised. I think you are going to have thousands more people crossing that bridge than you planned for. Mexicans will come because it is easy, because they do not face any danger going through Reynosa and they can shop and go. From where I live I can be in Monterrey in an hour and 45 minutes.”
Allen also predicted that a much larger number of Mexican nationals from Monterrey would buy second homes in the Valley because Anzalduas International Bridge makes it easier to get to the region. “Just like we go to New Mexico or Colorado, the Mexicans will have second homes here and from here they can go anywhere in the country,” he said. He also predicted even more export opportunities for retail stores in the Valley. “Downtown, retail stores like Sears and Penny’s are big exporters. People do not think about that,” he said.
Garza agreed with Allen’s analysis about more Mexican nationals visiting the Valley because of the new bridge. “We hope it will not just change the Monterrey traffic. The real key is how do we change the travel patterns of people in Central Mexico who maybe before used other bridges and maybe went on to San Antonio to make this region their choice and their place to come and shop and vacation and stay. To me, that is the real goal and that is where the real benefit will be realized,” Garza said.
Cortez said the new bridge could be viewed as a symbol of the “very strong” relationship that exists between the United States and Mexico. “It is an invitation that communicates ‘come to our home, you are welcome.’ It is an invitation to share and exchange, art, music, food, culture. It is an invitation that says let us do business today,” Cortez said.
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