LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Dana Youngentob,

The project will connect FM 1472 with I-35 and alleviate congestion, improve safety, and increase economic development

Laredo, TX— Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced a $3,000,000 federal earmark, that he secured, to construct approximately 2.75 miles of highway to connect FM-1472 and IH-35. The Vallecillo Road will provide another major ingress and egress connection between FM 1472 and IH 35 and better allow for the movement of goods from the industrial area, receiving trade from Mexico, to IH 35. The road will help improve mobility through alternate routes to avoid congestion, improve safety for the traveling public, and spur economic development.

“About fifty percent of all trade in Laredo, approximately $200 billion a year, travels through the World Trade Bridge into the Mines Road—leading to congestion and safety hazards,” said Congressman Cuellar, a senior member on the House Appropriations Committee. “This new road will facilitate the flow of both, commercial and non-commercial traffic, along the Mines Road. By decreasing congestion, we will further increase trade coming into Laredo and at the same time help guarantee the safety of drivers in our community. I want to thank State Senator Judith Zafferini, State Representative Richard Raymond, Mayor Pete Saenz, the Laredo City Council, the Killam Family, TXDOT, and the Webb County-City of Laredo Regional Mobility Authority for their continue support of this project that will benefit our community in various way. This truly was a team effort.”

“These $3 million that Congressman Henry Cuellar secured for the Vallecillo Road project will speed up the 2.75-mile, 5-lane stretch of road that will provide traffic flow and move heavy traffic from Mines Road (9FM 1472) to IH-35 and IH-69W,” said Mayor of Laredo Pete Saenz. “I applaud the support of Congressman Cuellar as well as the joint contributions by TXDOT, the City of Laredo, the Webb County-City of Laredo Regional Mobility Authority and the Killam Family.”

The Vallecillo Road Project is approximately 2.75 miles of new location east-west roadway about a mile-and-a-half north of Interstate 69W (IH-69W) and aligned with A.F. Muller Blvd. The project includes a continuous 150’ wide right-of-way for future expansion and will be located in an area where continued industrial growth and development is expected. Sidewalks are planned for both sides including a 10’ shared-use path on one side, making the project an important part of safe multimodal travel through this part of Laredo.

Currently, 37% of all trade between the U.S. and Mexico comes through the Laredo Port-of-Entry. Approximately 2.3 million trucks, totaling over $200 billion in annual trade, travel north into Laredo each year, and most of them do it through the World Trade Bridge into FM 1472. Consequently, over 60,000 vehicles, 60% of them tractor trailers, travel on FM 1472 on their way north every day. However, there is only one major roadway connecting I-35 to FM 1472 and this leads to congestion and presents challenges for trade.