Texas Border Business
By Texas Border Business
LAREDO, Texas — Nuevo León Governor Samuel García has announced a proposed $200 million expansion of the Colombia–Laredo International Bridge, including two additional bridges intended to increase commercial traffic capacity between Mexico and Texas.
The project, presented during García’s visit to Texas on August 28, 2026, is expected to begin construction in May 2027, according to the Nuevo León government.
García said the estimated $200 million cost would be divided equally between Texas and Nuevo León, with each contributing $100 million. The announcement did not say whether Texas authorities had given final approval for the proposed funding.
The expansion calls for two additional international bridges, one for exports and another for imports. According to an April 2025 announcement by Nuevo León officials, each would have four lanes, increasing the crossing’s total capacity from eight to 16 lanes.
The project is intended to reduce truck waiting times, accommodate additional commercial traffic and improve the movement of goods between the two countries.
García said the state’s objective is to increase traffic at the Colombia crossing to approximately 15,000 daily crossings by 2030.
In February 2026, the governor reported that daily truck crossings had increased from approximately 300 in 2021 to 7,000 in 2026, following improvements to the border facility and connecting roads.
The governor described the international crossing as a key part of Nuevo León’s economic development strategy.
“For Nuevo León, it is essential to have the infrastructure ready to be part of this triangle,” García said, referring to commercial connections with Dallas, Houston, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Austin, San Antonio and Laredo.
The bridge proposal has been under development for several years.
According to the Nuevo León government, García requested authorization from the City of Laredo in August 2023 to pursue the expansion. State officials said the Laredo City Council unanimously approved the request.
In April 2025, Nuevo León announced that the U.S. Department of State had authorized the proposed expansion and forwarded its determination to the White House for consideration of a presidential permit.
The state described the presidential permit as the remaining U.S. authorization required at that stage of the project.
The bridge expansion is part of an infrastructure program that includes improvements to State Highway 001 North, connecting the industrial area of Salinas Victoria with Anáhuac and the Colombia border crossing.
Nuevo León has also completed improvements at the existing crossing. In February 2026, García inaugurated concrete pavement rehabilitation on the bridge and expanded the Ribereña Highway from two to four lanes.
The governor additionally announced plans for an industrial development zone in Anáhuac under Mexico’s Plan México initiative, with proposed tax incentives intended to attract investment.
Nuevo León officials say the combined bridge, highway, and industrial projects are intended to strengthen international trade infrastructure and support manufacturing and logistics operations along the Texas–Mexico border.
The proposed May 2027 construction date and financing arrangements remain subject to the applicable approvals and implementation decisions.
