First Rail Link in a Over a Century Now Connects U.S., Mexico

The new rail bridge connects Brownsville [population at the 2010 census of 175,023], Texas with "Matamoros [population of 489,193 in 2010] in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas," writes David Jackson of USA TODAY. "It's part of an overall effort to expand trade between the United States and Mexico."

"The West Rail Bypass will replace the Brownsville-Matamoros (B&M) Rail Bridge, which was completed in 1910," notes the Commerce Department's press release. 

"The trains began rolling across the new bridge on Aug. 7," writes Andrew V. Pestano of UPI. "It took more than 15 years for the West Rail Bypass International Bridge to become a reality." Total cost was more than $100 million.

The rail bridge was partly created by efforts of local governments in South Texas that wanted to move freight trains outside of the city of Brownsville, which lies across the border from Matamoros, Mexico.

The new railroad bridge was built west of the city and will eliminate 14 railroad street crossings in Brownsville.

"The West Rail project broke ground in December 2010 and was designed to expand regional transportation capacity, improve air quality and alleviate urban congestion by re-routing rail traffic out of the most populated areas in both border cities, the Commerce Department said," writes Jon Herskovitz for Reuters (via The Guardian).

The August 25 ceremony was attended by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. "The opportunity exists to do more commerce ," Pritzker said, "but we have not invested in our infrastructure."

"Mexico's representatives at the event included Secretary of Finance and Public Credit Luis Videgaray Caso, Secretary of Communications and Transport Gerardo Ruiz Esparza and Secretary of Foreign Affairs José Antonio Meade Kuribreña," writes Pestano.

Jointing them was "Jose Zozaya, president and executive representative of Kansas City Southern de Mexico, the interchange partner on the Mexican side of the new bridge."

According to Wikipedia, "KCSM is fully owned and operated by Kansas City Southern, who owns its own fleet and the rights to operate and maintain a rail system through a concession from the Mexican government."