New rail crossing between U.S. and Mexico now open

The West Rail Bypass International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas, now is open. The bridge is the first new international rail crossing between the U.S. and Mexico since 1910 and connects Brownsville with Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

The West Rail project, which broke ground in December 2010, is designed to expand regional transportation capacity, improve air quality, and alleviate urban congestion by rerouting rail traffic out of the most populated areas in both border cities. The project was supported by funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as state and local dollars.