New Railway Bridge Opens Between Texas and Mexico

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has completed the construction of the Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge, which links Laredo, Texas, with Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. This $100 million project, which broke ground in late 2022, significantly enhances the railway's capacity by eliminating previous directional running windows that caused bottlenecks, thereby doubling CPKC's freight movement capacity at this major North American trade port. The new 1,170-foot span includes advanced security features such as a VACIS X-ray rail-car inspection system. Named in honor of the late KCS CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer, the bridge is expected to facilitate efficient trade between the U.S. and Mexico. CPKC President Keith Creel emphasized the project's importance in supporting growing international trade across North America. The bridge is the only railroad crossing of the Rio Grande at this location, marking a significant milestone in cross-border logistics.