The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is determined to address congestion at the U.S.-Mexico border as trade between the two North American nations rises. Infrastructure needs underscore the state agency’s goals and efforts.

TxDOT Director of Planning and Modal Programs Caroline Mays said in a June 21 press release that border crossing volumes for commercial vehicles are predicted to significantly rise between 2019 and 2050 as transportation demand exceeds capacity.

Mays added that stakeholders are concerned with border delays, stating they’re forecasted to grow exponentially in the absence of operational efficiency and system capacity improvements.

Texas Department of Transportation Director of Planning And Modal Programs Caroline Mays. | LinkedIn

According to the release, 70% of trade between the U.S. and Mexico passes through Texas’s border with Mexico and has grown 696% in the last three decades, bringing revenue from $100 billion to $799 billion.

During the same period, Texas-Mexico trade value jumped 728% from $67 billion in 1994 to $562 billion last year.

The release stated that Texas recorded approximately five million commercial vehicles crossing the border and foresees this figure increasing to more than 12 million by 2050.

This prediction stresses TxDOT’s need to address congestion and delays to prevent profit losses.

TxDOT's Border Transportation Master Plan intends to confront these challenges. Consisting of 559 projects with a price tag of over $32 billion, it is expected to decrease border crossing times by 60%.