Draft Border Plan Recommends $32.7B In Texas-Mexico Crossing Projects

A newly released draft Border Transportation Master Plan recommends 554 projects in Texas totaling $32.7 billion to avoid costly delays that could result in up to $4.4 billion in economic productivity losses in 2050 if no improvements are made at the state’s border with Mexico.

Trade across the Texas-Mexico border not only contributes an estimated 5.3 percent to Texas’ $100.2 billion gross domestic product (GDP), but it also adds to the GDPs of Michigan, Illinois, California, and Ohio.

Between 2019 and 2050, the number of northbound vehicle crossings at the Texas-Mexico border is expected to increase by 7.7 million or 168 percent (3.2 percent annually) to an estimated 12.35 million crossings in 2050.

During that same period, the number of northbound railcar crossings is expected to increase by 1.5 million or 150 percent (3 percent annually) to more than 2.55 million railcars in 2050.

Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs presented the plan to the Texas Transportation Commission on December 10 that highlighted infrastructure priorities and projects and funding needs for necessary improvements.

In her role as secretary, Hughs serves as Texas’ border commerce coordinator.

The Texas Department of Transportation and the Border Trade Advisory Committee, which worked together to develop the plan, will schedule a public comment period before presenting the plan’s final report to the commission to consider for adoption.

This story originally published by Strategic Partnerships.