LAREDO, Texas — With simultaneous ceremonies in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Kansas City Southern marked the start of construction on a second span of the International Railway Bridge across the Rio Grande.
KCS CEO Patrick Ottensmeyer led the ceremony in Laredo on Monday, Oct. 31, while KCS de Mexico President Oscar del Cuento hosted the ceremony in Nuevo Laredo. Each ceremony featured a screen showing the other event, the Laredo Morning Times reports.
“Upon completion, the second span of the International Bridge will keep Laredo-Nuevo Laredo at the center of North American trade and make this vital USMCA trade corridor safer, more fluid and secure, and relieve traffic congestion in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo,” Ottensmeyer said, according to a KCS press release. “This significant private investment in infrastructure, along with the proposed combination of Canadian Pacific and KCS, pending regulatory approval, will connect customers on both sides of the border to new markets, enhance competition in the U.S. rail network and drive economic growth across North America.”
The new 1,150-foot structure will be built approximately 35 feet from the current bridge, with U.S. and Mexican construction crews working concurrently. KCS, which is providing all funding for the $100 million project, received its U.S. presidential in July 2020, and now has all permits in hand on both sides of the border as well as completed design work [see “Kansas City Southern to hold Laredo bridge groundbreaking …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 25, 2022].
“The fact the private sector is investing $100 million is a huge indicator of what they foresee in the future,” Laredo Mayor Pete Sanez told the Morning Times. “That is economic growth and jobs throughout Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. KCS and their association with the Canadian and Mexican railroads is huge. We are fortunate to have them here. They believe in Laredo and they believe in our location. Obviously logistics plays a huge factor in transportation.”
Construction is projected for completion in 2024.
— Updated at 10:15 a.m. CDT with photos from ceremonies.
The woman in the pink pants is not wearing proper footwear for a construction site!
Ed Burns
Retired Class 1
BNSF, UP please take note. If necessary, print it out and post it on your bathroom mirror in case you forget at the next merger hearing.
Upvote to John Rice.
Oh and BTW that train in the photo! Like, wow!!!! As a railfan, I’m hoping that the merged CP and KCS will find a joint livery of the quality of their existing, but incompatible, liveries.