A new lane on the Anzalduas International Bridge in McAllen, Texas is expected to reduce traveling time for truckers who choose to pay a toll.
The international bridge connects Mcallen,Texas with parts of western Mexico.
On Monday, the truck-only toll lane opened for vacant southbound semis. Before the new changes, the bridge only allowed passenger traffic.
Truck drivers previously traveled across the Pharr International Bridge as it was the only bridge accepting both-way truck traffic.
According to The Monitor, one truck driver explained,
“This will take, maybe, five minutes. It’s much faster than Pharr. Because there are full trucks and empty trucks going south at Pharr, it can take 20 minutes or more.”
Officials expect that the toll option will benefit truck drivers as they could use both bridges to handle deliveries.
Darrel Renfrow, vice president of Index Reynosa, explained,
“Now, drivers could potentially make two trips per day. They cross the Pharr bridge in the morning, drop off their load. They go back over the Anzalduas, which will take much less time than before. Then if they have the right situation where they can load back up in Reynosa, they cross back over at Pharr, unload, then cross back over and they can sleep in their same beds.”
The first southbound commercial empty truck crosses Anzalduas International Bridge today! Congrats @CityofMcAllen pic.twitter.com/rGilpGZAQA
— Juan Chuy Hinojosa (@TxChuy) August 22, 2016
$35,000 was spent to make the changes, which McAllen Mayor Jim Darling expects will bring in revenue of $800,000 a year. Texas transportation officials also spent $1.1 million for Mexico to make necessary improvements on their side of the bordering bridge. 80% of the revenue gained will be shared between McAllen, Mission, Hidalgo and Granjeno.
According to the bridge’s website, the toll for a 5-axle tractor trailer will cost $17.
