Port of Brownsville ribbon cutting ceremony opens South Port Connector Road

The Port of Brownsville held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Rio Grande Valley’s latest commerce route, the 1.9 mile-long South Port Connector Road. The new road will officially open for business Monday, March 7, at 6 a.m.

The road project is a collaborative effort between the Brownsville Navigation District (BND), Cameron County, the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (RGVMPO), and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to improve port access and ease urban traffic in the Brownsville area.

BND Board Chairman Sergio Tito Lopez commemorated the event by driving a truck through a ceremonial ribbon, officially opening the road for domestic and international trade.

“The Port of Brownsville is committed to investing in infrastructure to meet the growing business needs of our region for today and tomorrow,” said Lopez. “Thousands of workers depend on the first-rate logistics services provided by the port as the leading economic engine of the Rio Grande Valley. I commend our partners involved in the project for contributing greatly to the success of the construction of this road.”

The Port of Brownsville has seen an increase in truck traffic in recent years, registering 438,000 truck movements in 2021, which represents an average of 1,200 truck movements per day.

Funding for the $25.6 million port connector road was procured by the Port of Brownsville, Cameron County, the CCRMA, RGVMPO and TxDOT. Construction of the road began August 2020 and its completion marks the first phase of CCRMA’s larger East Loop Corridor project.

The South Port Connector Road is the first entrance/exit located on the south side of the Brownsville ship channel. It will directly link Ostos Road inside the port with State Highway 4 and eventually offer a direct route to nearby commercial traffic lanes at Veterans International Bridge. The new access road also creates a convenient connection to the neighboring SpaceX launch site, facilitating the shipping and receiving of critical components for the space industry.

“The South Port Connector Road is a testament to the Valley’s growth and its leading business industry between the Port of Brownsville, the Cameron County International Bridge System, and the space industry. This road will continue to promote the region’s success in travel and trade. I want to thank all those involved for the completion of this great project that will continue to enhance and promote the quality of life of the residents and visitors to Cameron County,” stated Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr.

“I am glad that the CCRMA was able to partner with TxDOT, the Port of Brownsville and Cameron County to ensure that this project became a reality. This project is the first segment of the much larger East Loop project and we are glad that this project will improve access to and from the Port of Brownsville,” said CCRMA Chairman Frank Parker, Jr.