Plans for building a major, tractor trailer specific highway corridor in southern Texas have been postponed following the denial of a federal grant.
The tractor trailer corridor was to be built in Laredo, Texas as a way to connect the Loop 20 off ramp, World Trade Bridge, and I-35 on ramp, allowing for truckers to bypass a stoplight intersection.
Coordinators of the project, dubbed the “mile marker 8 project,” applied for a grant, asking the Infrastructure For Rebuilding America grant program for $122 million to help them complete the project, of which the city of Laredo would provide $22 million, reported KGNS News.
Now that the grant has been denied, though, the city of Laredo is going to have to seek out a new way to fund their big rig-centric construction project.
“We didn’t receive the grant so we are gonna have to regroup work with stakeholders and come up with a Plan B. There are currently other grants available through the Department of Transportation that we will work with Congressman to re-apply and re-consider,” said city manager Horacio De Leon.
The setback will delay the project by at least a few months while the city regroups and applies for different grants. Officials say that they will know if the project has been granted funding by the end of the year.
