Eddie Treviño, Jr.
Special to the NEWS
BROWNSVILLE, TX— On Wednesday, Cameron County Commissioners announced that it has agreed to purchase an ownership interest in the Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge Company, which owns the Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge (B&M Bridge), concluding a complex negotiation process that began approximately two years ago.
This transaction is expected to close in late 2025 or early 2026. It will transfer ownership and operation of the historic international bridge crossing, which opened in 1910, to Cameron County, according to a statement from the county.
“Securing the Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge Company is a transformative moment for Cameron County,” said Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. “We’re preserving a vital piece of binational infrastructure and strengthening our partnership with Mexico to support bi-national transportation, commerce, tourism, and cultural exchange, which has a tremendously positive impact on Cameron County and the entire Rio Grande Valley.”
The Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge Company was incorporated on August 25, 1909, jointly by the Mexican government and the St. Louis, Brownsville, and Mexico Railway (which was acquired by the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company and later merged into Union Pacific), and it opened for traffic on December 12, 1910.
Over its lifetime, the structure has been widened twice—in 1953 and again in 1992—and in 1997, a new four-lane concrete toll bridge was added next to the original span.
This acquisition, once finalized, will enhance Cameron County’s existing portfolio of three international crossings, all managed by the county’s International Bridge System: • Gateway International Bridge – opened in 1926 • Free Trade International Bridge at Los Indios – opened in 1992 • Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates – opened in 1999.
Following the acquisition, Cameron County will integrate the B&M Bridge into its system, ensuring unified management and toll collection for all border crossings within Cameron County. County officials plan to make targeted upgrades and streamline operations across all bridges, focusing on improved toll collection technologies, enhanced inspection facilities, and expanded customs processing capabilities.
“The knowledge and expertise we possess from operating our three existing bridges will guide the next chapter for the historic B&M Bridge crossing,” said Cameron County Administrator Pete Sepulveda, Jr.
“Our goal is to streamline the operation of the B&M Bridge just as we have with our other bridges. Over the past five years, we have invested in our bridge crossings to make them some of the safest and most technologically advanced international bridges, stretching from Brownsville to San Diego, California. We are very proud of the bridge system we have in place, and the addition of the B&M Bridge is a welcome addition to our portfolio of international crossings in Cameron County,” Sepulveda added.
Gateway International Bridge will begin a significant $260 million upgrade in the first quarter of 2026. The renovation will increase the inspection area to include 10 primary lanes and 24 secondary inspection spaces with canopies, up from the current five lanes and 15 spaces.
As the highly anticipated modernization takes place, parts of the bridge will be closed for construction and renovations, making the efficient operation of the B&M Bridge even more crucial to keep bi-national travel smooth and simple.
In April 2024, a major expansion at the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates was finished, increasing capacity for passenger vehicles entering the United States with four new Customs & Border Protection (CBP) primary inspection lanes. Cameron County has managed the Veterans International Bridge for over 20 years, linking I-69E to Mexico.
This bridge, a crucial port of entry for international trade, now handles most of the commercial truck traffic entering the U.S. in Cameron County, including overweight shipments along the corridor between the Veterans International Bridge and the Port of Brownsville.
Additionally, Cameron County has secured Presidential permits for two new border crossings to enhance its infrastructure. On May 31, 2024, President Biden approved a permit for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the four-lane Flor de Mayo International Bridge— located eight river miles upstream of the B&M Bridge.
More recently, on August 20, 2025, President Trump approved a Presidential Permit for a dedicated two-lane pedestrian bridge next to the Gateway International Bridge, offering a separate, safer walkway for pedestrians crossing downtown Brownsville and Matamoros.
The Cameron County International Bridge System offers safe and efficient crossings for pedestrians, passenger vehicles, and commercial trucks between the United States and Mexico, Treviño said.
In 2024, Gateway International Bridge, Free Trade Bridge, and Veterans International Bridge recorded over 5.6 million crossings and more than $20 billion in binational trade.
Treviño and the County Commissioners are set to formally review the stock purchase agreement for Union Pacific’s ownership stake in the Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge Company at the upcoming Commissioners’ Court meeting scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
For more details on the Cameron County International Bridge System, visit www.ccibstx.us.
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