Gateway to the Americas International Bridge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gateway to the Americas International Bridge
Gateway to the Americas International Bridge
View of the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge Mexican side
Official name Gateway to the Americas International Bridge
Carries Pedestrian
Non-commercial Vehicles
Crosses Rio Grande
Locale Laredo, Texas
Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas
Maintained by City of Laredo
Secretariat of Communication and Transportation
Design Box Girder Bridge
Total length 1012.5 ft (309 m)
Width 42 ft (12.8 m)
AADT Pedestrians:
11,398

Non-commercial:
2,311

Opening date 1954
Toll Southbound / Northbound
Pedestrians
$0.50 / $0.25

Non-Commercial Vehicles
$3.00 / $2.25
Commercial Vehicles
$2.75 per Axle

Bridge Location
Coordinates 27°29′58″N 99°30′27″W / 27.499516, -99.507562Coordinates: 27°29′58″N 99°30′27″W / 27.499516, -99.507562

The Gateway to the Americas International Bridge is one of four vehicular international bridges located in the cities of Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, that connect the United States and Mexico over the Rio Grande (Río Bravo). It is owned and operated by City of Laredo and the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (Mexico's federal Secretariat of Communication and Transportation). It is also known as Laredo International Bridge 1. It is a four lane bridge for non-commercial traffic and 2 sidewalks for pedestrians.

[edit] Location

This bridge is located in the San Agustin Historical District in downtown Laredo, Texas, and on the northern termini of Mexican Federal Highway 85 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. It operates 24 hours a day.

[edit] History

Constructed in the 1880s in a through truss design, the original Laredo International Foot Bridge was destroyed April 28, 1905 by flood resulting from a hurricane. It was repaired and again totally destroyed by flood on September 3, 1932. The city of Laredo and the Mexican government rebuilt the bridge to accommodate vehicles in 1932, surviving 22 years before it was destroyed again by flood in 1954. The current bridge constructed in 1954 has survived flooding with no damage and remains operational.

The remains of the 1933 bridge can be seen from the west side pedestrian sidewalk.
Laredo Foot Bridge Destroyed in 1905

[edit] External links

Languages