𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐎 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓~𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐄, 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

 

Flor de Mayo bridge project (Brownsville Herald graphic) 

The Flor de Mayo International Bridge is a major cross-border infrastructure project poised to strengthen ties between Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Planned by the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), the bridge is designed to improve international mobility, facilitate trade, and relieve traffic congestion at existing border crossings.

Strategically located at the end of Flor De Mayo Road near the southern tip of Alton Gloor Boulevard and Military Highway in Brownsville, the bridge will connect directly to Los Palmares Industrial Park in Matamoros. Its four-lane structure will accommodate both passenger vehicles and pedestrians, addressing long-standing bottlenecks that have plagued the region's current ports of entry.

The necessity of this new crossing is evident to local residents and business owners alike. Brownsville has experienced sharp increases in both vehicular and pedestrian traffic in recent years. Routine delays of up to two hours at the border are all too common. These wait times disrupt commerce and daily life, underscoring the urgent need for improved infrastructure.

In June 2024, the project took a significant step forward when President Joe Biden issued a presidential permit authorizing its construction. This move is part of a broader federal initiative to accelerate infrastructure development along the U.S./Mexico border, targeting key counties such as Cameron, Webb, and Maverick. The permit, which remains valid through May 31, 2029, allows the bridge to proceed through a fast-tracked process—enabling environmental assessments and permitting to occur in tandem, reducing overall delays.

An environmental assessment, required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is expected to begin shortly and conclude within 18 months. Once completed, formal design work on the bridge can begin. The project carries an estimated cost of $25–30 million, though funding is still being finalized.

Constructing the bridge requires extensive binational collaboration. On the U.S. side, agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the General Services Administration, and the International Boundary and Water Commission are all involved. Simultaneously, Mexican officials are conducting feasibility studies and advancing their own approval processes to ensure the project moves forward on both sides of the border.

The Flor de Mayo Bridge is part of a broader wave of border infrastructure investments. Recent approvals include the new 4/5 Bridge in Rio Bravo, southeast of Laredo; the expansion of Laredo's World Trade Bridge and Camino Real International Bridge; and the authorization of a new crossing in Eagle Pass, all designed to improve the flow of goods and people between the two nations.

Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. emphasized the economic stakes of the project, pointing out that cross-border trade supports millions of jobs and generates billions in revenue across the U.S. and Mexico. Despite political shifts and trade policy debates, local leaders remain focused on building infrastructure that reflects the region’s deep economic interdependence.

As planning and environmental review move ahead, community members and business stakeholders are optimistic. The Flor de Mayo International Bridge represents not only a logistical improvement, but a symbol of ongoing cooperation and shared prosperity between two nations deeply connected by commerce, culture and community.