The Texas Transportation Commission
125 E. 11th St.
Austin, TX 78701
Dear Commissioners:
The Texas Border Coalition (TBC) is the collective voice of border mayors, county judges, and economic development organizations along the Texas-Mexico border, representing 2.5 million people from El Paso to Brownsville. We write in support of the Texas Freight Mobility Plan with a recommendation to prioritize highway trade corridors, especially as it applies to the border region.
The people of the border region appreciate the plan’s designation of Texas land ports of entry roads as part of the freight network and its emphasis on a comprehensive and coordinated Texas-Mexico border strategy to promote trade and commerce, facilitate border infrastructure development, develop and deploy integrated border-crossing management and increase the application of technology improvements.
We are also heartened by the plan’s inclusion of 139 border projects – with a total estimated cost of more than $4 billion in the plan – including projects to improve port of entry access, build out high-priority roads and interchanges and facilitate critical rail projects.
Like you, we place a high priority on continuing to identify major rail and highway trade corridors to the Mexican border. We strongly support the plan’s commitment to invest and expand in border transportation infrastructure.
Finally, we grateful for the plan’s suggestion of a Texas Border Freight Transportation and Trade Management Program that would enhance international border coordination strategies to improve freight transportation safety, mobility and efficiency and to facilitate trade and travel while enhancing security.
On all of these items, we are grateful for the leadership of Caroline Mays. She listened to our concerns and worked hard to address our most important priorities.
The Texas Border Coalition is pleased to endorse the Texas Transportation Commission’s adoption of the Texas Freight Mobility Plan.
Sincerely,
Sergio Contreras, Chairman
Texas Border Coalition Transportation Committee