DONNA, Texas — The City of Donna is preparing to break ground on a transformative $72 million to $80 million expansion of the Donna-Río Bravo International Bridge port of entry, paving the way for full commercialization and transforming the facility into a high-tech model for future U.S. land ports.
City officials revealed during a recent podcast interview with the Rio Grande Guardian that construction on the long-anticipated Phase II project is expected to begin in late 2026 or early January 2027, with full commercial operations anticipated by 2029.
The project will upgrade the port from its current status—handling passenger vehicles and southbound empty commercial trucks—to a full-service, binational commercial corridor processing loaded northbound and southbound freight.
The expanded port will feature cutting-edge non-intrusive inspection (NII) technology, unified cargo inspections, and a centralized command center designed to eliminate the traditional "boots on the ground" inspection model at entry lanes.
"Everything's going to be controlled through a command center," said Donna City Manager Jesus Reyna. "The trucks are going to come in, we're going to have all the officers in the command center, and they'll be communicating with display screens and X-rays. We'll be able to get those vehicles into the United States faster than any existing port in the United States right now."
Reyna noted that the facility is designed as a C-TPAT certified port of entry capable of processing approximately 100 semi-trucks per hour in a single lane.
Assistant City Manager and Bridge Executive Director Maricela Gonzalez emphasized that federal agencies view the facility as a national model.
"This port of entry has been considered the pilot project," Gonzalez said. "The layout has been very different than any other port of entry. It's a ladder project for commercial trade that will allow for industrial manufacturing and logistics to develop all around the surrounding properties."
The expansion will add more than five dedicated commercial lanes without disrupting current passenger vehicle traffic, which averages between 60,000 and 70,000 crossings per month. The new footprint will be constructed on the east side of the existing port grounds.
Financed in part through a voter-approved certificate of obligation passed by Donna residents, the expansion involves multi-agency coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the General Services Administration (GSA), the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and the Federal Highway Administration.
Once ground is broken, construction is scheduled to take 18 to 24 months.
|
Project Milestone |
Projected Timeline |
|
Groundbreaking Ceremony |
Late 2026 / January 2027 |
|
Construction Duration |
18 to 24 months |
|
Target Operational Date |
2029 |
Officials highlighted Donna’s geographical advantage: the bridge offers one of the shortest spans across the Rio Grande, linking directly to Mexico's highway network toward Monterrey, Matamoros, and San Luis Potosí, while connecting northbound traffic directly to Interstate 2 and the upcoming International Bridge Trade Corridor (IBTC).
"This is a regional project," Gonzalez added. "Even though it's in Donna—the heart of the Valley—this is to help strengthen the border, trade, manufacturing, and logistics for the entire region."
Economic development leaders say the impending bridge expansion is already fueling industrial and retail interest across the Mid-Valley.
April Castañeda, Executive Director of the Donna Economic Development Corporation, reported several recent wins, including:
"With any port of entry, you have that industrial sector around it," Castañeda said. "We're going to be recruiting manufacturing, warehousing, and cold storage. That brings job creation for community members and revenue that allows us to improve our infrastructure and make our city beautiful."
Castañeda noted that outreach to transportation associations and brokers in Mexico is already underway to ensure freight carriers incorporate the Donna-Rio Bravo route into their long-term supply chain plans.
