Fourth Alternate Route for Second International Bridge Presented at Special Council Meeting

Image of the alternate route, West 3, Alternate 4, presented during the Special Council Meeting by RRP Consulting Engineers representative Michael Riojas.

During the Special City Council Meeting held on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, a fourth alternate route for the construction of the Second International Bridge was presented to council and the public by Michael Riojas, a representative from RRP Consulting Engineers, the company contracted for the Second International Bridge. 

The Special Meeting was called with a single agenda item: “Present potential alternate routes for the proposed second international bridge by RRP Consulting Engineers and possibly act on recommendations.” No action was taken at this meeting, as it was meant to be an informational meeting with council members ahead of the public meeting held the following day. 

Riojas presented an overview of the project and the work that he and his team had been conducting for the past two years, noting that this would be the same presentation that would be presented to the public at Wednesday’s public meeting. 

He began by reviewing the purpose of this bridge project which is primarily to streamline cargo transportation on both sides, move commercial traffic from the existing bridge, and promote economic growth in the region. 

Riojas went on to briefly touch upon the feasibility study that was conducted in 2013, initially beginning with the consideration of an upstream crossing, the existing bridge, and a downstream crossing, ultimately choosing an upstream crossing as the most feasible route due to location and engineering costs. 

“At the first public meeting, we presented the two routes, the West Route, running north from the international bridge, then east along Las Brisas Boulevard before intersecting with US Highway 90, including the airport connector, and the East Route, northeast from the international bridge, then intersecting with US Highway 90,” Riojas stated. 

After public comments from the first meeting were collected and housing displacement concerns were raised, RRP presented a third alternate route, West 2, Alternate 3, running north from the international bridge, east along Las Brisas Boulevard, then north to intersect US Highway 90, also including the Airport connector. 

Among continued public comments raising concerns, the fourth, and newest alternate route was developed that would avoid the Rancho Agua Vista neighborhood north of US Highway 90. “Due to public comments on that connection location, we went back and looked at alternate routes and that’s what we’re presenting at the public meeting tomorrow night,” Riojas began. “We need to get public comments on this route so we can go back and do a full analysis.” 

“The purpose of the public meeting is to receive public comments on the west alternative and the rest of the alternative locations,” Riojas told the council. 

He clarified that the presentation would be the same as the one he presented to council accompanied by exhibits on all of the routes including the newest one. He also shared that public comments will be collected via written comment forms that will be passed out at the public meeting to have on record as they move forward with the process of selecting the best route for the second international bridge and moving forward with the Presidential Permit process and a future Public Hearing.