International Trade, Ports of Entry & Airports

The Rio Grande Valley is home to twelve bridge crossings
that allow international trade and commerce to flourish.

Below is a comprehensive list of the Valley’s ports of entry & airports.

Texas Exports and Trade Data

One of the main focuses where our members affect change is in the area of International Trade & Ports of Entry. RGV Partnership advocates for investment at our ports of entry to ensure that we have the infrastructure to drive international trade. We supported the passage of USMCA, formerly the NAFTA agreement, which modernizes the rules for trade in North America with state-of-the-art provisions, which is projected to drive trade across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The increase in trade will call for investment in technology and trained personnel at our ports of entry.

International Ports of Entry

The Veterans Internal Bridge is an eight lane bridge with two pedestrian walkways and four lanes dedicated for commercial traffic. The bridge is also known as Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates. This bridge is located in Brownsville, Texas on the United States side and on the northern terminus of the Mexican Federal Highway 77 (Calle U.S. Hwy. 77) in Matamoros, Tamaulipas Mexico. It operates from 6 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. Midnight. It is currently the newest of the three international bridges serving the twin cities and is approximately one mile long (1.60934 km) long. Because of its length, very few pedestrians use it.

Gateway International Bridge is one of three international bridges that cross the U.S.-Mexico border between the cities of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas. It is owned and operated by Cameron County. Over the past century, it has developed the nickname of the New Bridge when the bridge was remodeled back in the 20th century. Despite the fact that the Veterans International Bridge is newer than the Gateway, it still retains its nickname. The Gateway International Bridge is located in Downtown Brownsville and a block from the University of Texas at Brownsville. It is the most used international bridge in the city for pedestrian crossings. People on the U.S. side, walk over to Mexico and have access to several tourist attractions in Matamoros.

The Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge, also known as B&M International Bridge, Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge and Express Bridge, is one of three international bridges that cross the U.S.-Mexico border between the cities of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas. It is popularly called the old bridge because its original incarnation, still standing, is the city’s oldest international bridge. In 1999, Texas state Historical marker 11778 was placed at the site by the Texas Historical Commission and the Cameron County Historical Commission to recognize the bridge’s historical significance. Currently, the B&M Bridge Company is jointly owned by the federal government of Mexico and the Union Pacific Railroad Company. Union Pacific trains cross the original International Bridge. The B&M Bridge Company is now calling its automobile bridge the Express Bridge in honor of its issuance in 1999 of prepaid toll express cards. The Express Bridge is also open to, and collects tolls from, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Also known in Mexico as Puente Internacional Libre Comercio Lucio Blanco-Los Indios. The Free Trade International Bridge at Los Indios is jointly owned by the cities of San Benito, Harlingen and Cameron County.
The county operates and maintains the facility.

A new cold storage facility was recently added to the bridge to accommodate vegetable and fruit produce shippers from Mexico crossing into the United States. Truck drivers importing produce from Mexico are able to prolong the life of their produce at the facility while being inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.

For more information, please call (956) 504-2011. The bridge is located at ​100 S. Los Indios Blvd., Los Indios, TX. 78567. Also, please visit: http://www.co.cameron.tx.us/wp/free-trade-international-bridge/

The Progreso-Nuevo Progreso International Bridge on the U.S.-Mexico border, has been in operation at this location since 1952. It connects the cities of Progreso Lakes, Texas, and Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas. The Progreso-Nuevo Progreso International Bridge has wide, covered pedestrian walkways to and from Mexico. Parking is located on both sides of FM 1015 before you enter the toll gate. Parking is nominal and the lots are paved and there’s someone on duty during all daylight hours.

Pharr International Bridge serves as one of the most important ports of entry for the U.S.-Mexico border. The bridge handles commercial vehicles as well as passenger-operated vehicles. The Pharr International Bridge connects U.S. Route 281 in Pharr, Texas, to the city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. The residents from Mexico call it The Intelligent Bridge, due to the state-of-the-art technology. The Pharr International Bridge connects U.S. 281 to the city of Reynosa, an important industrial city in northeastern Mexico, and one of the fastest growing cities in Latin America. TxDOT has invested 25 million dollars to open a new Border Safety Inspection Facility (BSIF) that quickly checks commercial vehicles for safety on Texas/U.S. highways.

The McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge opened in 1926 with four lane spans connecting the Rio Grande Valley to Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. For more than six decades it has facilitated the transport and promoted international union and friendship between Texas and Mexico. It is the only International Port of Entry in the area with a pedestrian crossing. Within the four lane spans; one lane is conveniently dedicated as an EZ Cross lane, this lane offers a refillable pre-paid card that is purchased at the Bridge’s administration building. The McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge is open 24/7 – 365 days a year.

The Anzalduas International Bridge officially opened for traffic on December 15, 2009. Since then it has served as the most direct, safe, and efficient route between the Rio Grande Valley and Mexican cities such as Monterrey and Mexico City, reducing the travel time by as much as 45 minutes. The Anzalduas International Bridge counts with 5 lanes including one lane conveniently dedicated as an EZ Cross lane, this lane is used with a reloadable pre-paid card which can be purchased at the Bridge’s administration building. The Anzalduas International Bridge is open from 6:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M., 7 days a week, 365-days a year.

The hand-operated ferry at the Los Ebanos crossing is the last of its kind along the entire stretch of the Rio Grande river. It is formally known as the Los Ebanos-Diaz Ordaz Ferry and it is located at the crossing point between Los Ebanos, Texas and Ciudad Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas. Named after the abundance of ebony trees that flourish around the site, the ferry is the last hand-pulled ferry in existence within the U. S. It can transport three cars and several pedestrians across the Rio Grande and you can even assist in pulling.

The Rio Grande City-Camargo International Bridge is an international bridge which crosses the Rio Grande connecting the United States-Mexico border cities of Rio Grande City, Texas and Camargo, Tamaulipas. The bridge is also known as Starr-Camargo Bridge for the county and municipio it serves and Puente Camargo (Camargo Bridge). The Rio Grande City-Camargo International Bridge is currently owned by the Starr Camargo Bridge Company, which also manages it. The bridge was completed and opened in 1966 and is two lane and 591 feet (180 m) long.

The Roma-Ciudad Miguel Alemán International Bridge serves a port of entry between Mexico and the United States. It is open 24 hours a day, all year long.Spans the Rio Grande River (known as Rio Bravo in Mexico) between Roma, Texas and Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas. This suspension bridge was built in 1928 and was reopened in 2004. It is a National Historic Landmark in the United States and in Mexico. Roma was a prosperous riverport in the 19th century. Historic structures front a plaza overlooking the Rio Grande with a view of the bridge.

The Donna Rio Bravo Land Port of Entry opened for passenger vehicular traffic on December 14, 2010. The Donna Rio Bravo International Bridge toll facilities and connecting roadways in Donna and in Rio Bravo can accommodate both passenger and commercial traffic. The City of Donna is working with Customs and Border Protection in order to maximize the hours of operation for passenger and commercial traffic. The Bridge will have access to future I 69 West and I 69 East highway corridors. The Bridge is owned and operated by the City of Donna, strategically located in the “Heart of the Valley” and is also strategically located in the State of Tamaulipas and provides a logistic advantage to existing vehicular traffic as well as commercial traffic. The Bridge has 8 lanes and is a total distance of 1000 feet in length; allowing for the fluid movement of people and International Commerce into the U.S. Markets.

RGV Maritime Ports

Port of Brownsville

Port of Harlingen

Port Mansfield

Port Isabel

The Rio Grande Valley has various airports conveniently

located to aid in your travel throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

BRO_Today_TomorrowCompositeBrownsville South Padre International Airport (BRO), is convenient for flying into Northern Mexico and is the closest commercial airport to South Padre Island.

new_airport_macMcAllen-Miller International Airport (MFE), is conveniently located directly across from La Plaza Mall, McAllen’s premier shopping location.

air_rgv_har-2Valley International Airport (HRL), located in Harlingen, is the largest airport in the Rio Grande Valley.

Gulf Aviation is a full-service aviation company in Rio Grande Valley providing premiere aviation support, aircraft maintenance and management, and air charter throughout South Texas.