Governor Manolo Jiménez Salinas, along with the Mayor of Eagle Pass, Texas, Aarón Valdés, and Jacobo Rodríguez González, Mayor of Piedras Negras, presided over the Binational Meeting held at the Government Palace, where they signed a goodwill agreement between the two entities to jointly carry out the expansion project on International Bridge II.
“In Coahuila, we continue to promote strategic projects that strengthen our competitiveness. We had a very productive meeting with the mayors of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, as well as with our teams, to review the progress of the expansion of International Bridge II, which is part of the larger Highway 57 project and represents a significant development opportunity for this region of Coahuila and Texas. We also signed an institutional commitment to redouble our efforts on this binational project,” the governor emphasized.
During the meeting, participants were briefed on the objectives, progress, and challenges of this major project on both sides of the border, and agreements were reached to ensure its timely and successful completion.
Manolo Jiménez indicated that this is a very important project that could transform the economic dynamics of Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass.
“The expansion of International Bridge II is part of a megaproject for Highway 57, which aims to open another commercially strong border crossing in northern Mexico, because the vast majority of the country’s border crossings are saturated,” he commented.
He added that it is the final phase of a major project to expand and modernize Highway 57, being developed in partnership with the Federal Government, as well as the construction of bypasses at various points to improve connectivity and reduce transit times for goods and people.
He emphasized that one of the objectives is to attract between five and ten percent of the traffic that currently crosses through the borders of Nuevo Laredo and Reynosa, which, he said, would be an economic boom.
Manolo Jiménez highlighted the excellent coordination between the teams from both Eagle Pass and the Coahuila State Government, as well as the positive relationship with the Federal Government. He urged everyone to take advantage of this situation to expedite all procedures and the work to be carried out.
Aarón Valdés, Mayor of Eagle Pass, stated that the city’s priority is the expansion of the International Bridge and that they are ready to begin the necessary procedures and construction.
He acknowledged the strong coordination with Coahuila officials, which facilitates the work and makes it easier to complete this major project.
For his part, the Mayor of Piedras Negras, Jacobo Rodríguez, recognized the great potential of this project and emphasized that no other border crossing in the country offers the level of security found in his municipality and the state as a whole.
Miguel Ángel Algara Acosta, Secretary of Infrastructure, Urban Development, and Mobility, explained the project to expand the Fiscal Route in Piedras Negras, a complementary work and part of the larger International Bridge II expansion project.
Also participating in the meeting were Blas Flores González, Chief of Staff and Strategic Projects; José Antonio Gutiérrez Rodríguez, Secretary of Finance; Hilda Flores Escalera, representative of the Government of Coahuila in Mexico City; Ana Lidia Martínez Salinas, Coordinator of Binational Crossing Projects; Edna Castro González, Director of Strategic Relations for the Coahuila Representation in Mexico City; Homero Balderas, City Manager of Eagle Pass; Iván Morua, Deputy City Manager; as well as project directors and consultants.
Source: coahuila
