August 24, 2026 - Texas Railroad Association - 

For generations, Laredo has served as one of the principal gateways connecting the economies of the United States and Mexico. Today, everything from automobiles and agricultural products to appliances, electronics and manufacturing components moves through the city on its way to factories, distribution centers and consumers across North America. That role continues to grow. The Port of Laredo handled approximately $354 billion in international trade during 2025, ranking first among U.S. border crossings and third among more than 450 airports, seaports and border crossings nationwide.

It is little surprise then that Laredo is also home to the busiest international rail gateway in the country. 

It is also a testament to the impact of continued rail investment. In February 2025, CPKC officially opened the second span of the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge across the Rio Grande between Laredo and Nuevo Laredo. The $100 million project added a 1,170-foot bridge, approximately 4,500 feet of new track and enhanced inspection and surveillance technology. Constructed about 35 feet from the existing bridge, the new span allows trains to operate across the border in both directions simultaneously and more than doubles the rail corridor’s potential capacity.

The additional capacity arrives at an important moment for North American commerce. U.S.-Mexico freight totaled approximately $872.8 billion in 2025, an increase of 3.9 percent from the previous year, with rail accounting for nearly $95 billion, or 10.9 percent, of that trade by value. In Laredo alone, 213,008 railcars entered the United States from Mexico during 2025. Those trains carried the components and finished products that support factories, farms, retailers and logistics operations far beyond the border, demonstrating that Laredo is not simply a regional transportation hub but a critical link in national and continental supply chains.

The new bridge is part of a broader series of public and private rail investments strengthening the Laredo gateway. In addition to CPKC’s $100 million international bridge project—which included approximately 4,500 feet of new track and enhanced border inspection and security technology—the City of Laredo received up to $4 million in federal funding to plan safety improvements along the downtown rail corridor. In 2026, the Texas Transportation Commission also awarded $58.5 million through the state’s new Off-System Rail Grade Separation Program toward the $61.6 million Santa Maria Boulevard project. That project will separate roadway traffic from CPKC’s rail line, reducing delays and improving safety and freight mobility. Together, these investments address both sides of Laredo’s growth: increasing the capacity to move international trade across the border while improving the infrastructure connecting the railroad with the surrounding community.

Laredo’s new rail capacity is therefore more than a bridge project. It is an investment in Texas’ position at the center of North American trade. As manufacturers continue to organize production across the United States, Mexico and Canada, the ability to move raw materials, components and finished goods reliably across the border will remain essential. Capturing that opportunity will require continued coordination among railroads, federal agencies, state and local governments, and the private logistics sector. With its expanded international rail connection, Laredo is better positioned to support the trade, investment and industrial growth that will shape the Texas economy for decades to come.

Photo credit: CPKC