Infrastructure is a key to Port Laredo’s rise to becoming the #1 port in America. In recent years, Laredo has obtained five Presidential Permits issued by Presidents Biden and Trump, laying a foundation for even greater trade growth. Two of the permits were received last year, and two more were received in June 2025.
“That’s the most ever approved for a single region on the US-Mexico border,” states US Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas. A Presidential Permit is required to build an international bridge over water crossing the border of the US with Mexico.
World Trade Bridge
Inaugurated in 2000, the World Trade Bridge is a vital commercial gateway that is now the busiest commercial border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. The bridge processes nearly 40% of all trade between the US and Mexico, according to the Laredo Chamber of Commerce.
Due to congestion from the increasing traffic, in May 2024 Laredo received a Presidential Permit to expand the World Trade Bridge. The expansion project includes the construction of a new eight-lane bridge dedicated to northbound commercial traffic, along with additional lanes on the existing bridge for southbound traffic.
The $24.1 million project will enhance traffic flow, reduce congestion, and strengthen the port’s capacity to support the growing demands of US-Mexico trade. Construction on the World Trade Bridge expansion is expected to begin in Summer 2026.
“This bridge, which is the anchor of our port, represents the shared vision of two nations and two sister cities that, through strategic planning and joint investment, has transformed a region into a global logistics powerhouse,” says Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Treviño.
Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge
A Presidential Permit issued in 2020 enabled Laredo to build the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge, a new $100 million structure spanning over the Rio Grande from Laredo, Texas, to Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas — the only railroad bridge crossing the river and linking the two cities. Completion of the dual-track railway bridge late last year more than doubled Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) capacity to move freight across the border.
The Ottensmeyer bridge project also included enhanced border security investments such as a new VACIS X-ray railcar inspection system and surveillance cameras.
International Bridge 4/5
In 2024, Laredo received a Presidential Permit to construct the new 4/5 International Bridge to connect with State Highway 359 and Interstate 35, which leads to San Antonio. Bridge construction is expected to start in the next five years.
Laredo-Colombia Solidarity Bridge
On June 13, 2025, Laredo received a Presidential Permit to expand the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. The project will add two new four-lane spans for commercial traffic parallel and adjacent to the existing bridge.
Once maligned as a “bridge to nowhere,” Colombia Solidarity Bridge has become an important component of Port Laredo and now carries more than 3,000 commercial trucks per day.
“The Colombia Solidarity Bridge ranks as the third busiest in the southwest US,” explains Congressman Cuellar. “The Colombia expansion includes new southbound and northbound commercial bridge spans, allowing the existing bridge to handle FAST commercial vehicles and oversized traffic. It will also create dedicated lanes for non-commercial vehicles and buses, streamlining traffic flow and modernizing one of the most critical ports on the US-Mexico border.” The project also includes expanded border inspection booths and fortified security.
The Congressman adds, “By expanding the bridge from 8 lanes to 16 lanes, this project will improve our supply chain, reduce congestion, and provide economic growth.”
Green Corridors
On June 9, 2025, a Presidential Permit was issued for the Green Corridors Intelligent Freight Transportation System (IFTS), the most progressive of Port Laredo’s recent bridge expansions which could revolutionize how freight moves across the border.
Green Corridors is public-private logistics initiative to construct, maintain and operate a cross-border IFTS linking Laredo, Texas with Monterrey, Mexico. The system is designed to alleviate traffic congestion at the port of entry and in both cities while significantly improving security.
Green Corridors is a 165-mile elevated guideway that separates commercial freight from passenger vehicles. It will utilize a fleet of high-speed autonomous shuttles to create a nonstop transit route for freight. Cargo will be processed at an inland terminal and cleared by customs prior to traveling along the corridor.
“This project represents a paradigm shift in transportation with our largest trading partner,” says Mitch Carlson, CEO of Green Corridors, the company behind the project.
The Green Corridors project is not supported by government funding. The company is backed by a consortium of private-sector leaders, infrastructure partners, and logistics innovators.
The company anticipates breaking ground within the next 36 months, with operations starting in 2031, noting that Green Corridors is poised to become the most advanced overland freight infrastructure deployment in North America.
