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Table E.8. Rail Car Crossings NORTH (Mexico to Texas) 1994-2001
Rail –North 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Brownsville 11,854 13,789 19,158 11,707 12,134 15,354 12,426 14,007
Eagle Pass 15,177 22,331 39,795 39,438 40,314 41,749 42,214 31,392
El Paso N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Laredo 39,867 59,377 85,592 93,967 92,829 115,771 151,110 168,376
Total 66,898 95,497 144,545 145,112 145,277 172,874 205,750 213,775
Table E.9 provides BRGRR annual carloads volume from 1997 to 2001. As
indicated by the table, rail connectivity has been increasing over the past five
years and will play a vital role in the ports future expansion projects.
Table E.9. Brownsville & RGV International Railroad Carloads
International Railroad (carloads*)
1997 7,465 Annual Increase
1998 13,325 44 %
1999 16,446 19 %
2000 20,747 21 %
2001 25,981 20 %
Source: Port of Brownsville, Full Steam Ahead Newsletter,
Volume 2, Issue 1, April 30, 2001 and Volume 3, Issue 1,
January 30, 2002, * 100% port generated
Airport Facilities
There are two international airports that service Cameron County: The
Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport and Harlingen’s Valley
International Airport. Within a 40 mile radius, these airports have a service area
with more than 2.5 million citizens of the Lower Grande Valley and Northern
Mexico.
Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport provides domestic air
passenger service and daily cargo service. It is the largest air cargo handling
airport in the Rio Grande Valley, and it encompasses 1,815 acres which includes
the airport, an industrial park, and a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). Cargo carriers
include:
⇒ Emery
⇒ BAX Global
⇒ Continental Airlines
Since 1997, Brownsville has completed nearly $10 million in capital
improvements directly benefiting air cargo including: runway pavement and
lighting rehabilitation, air cargo ramp, flood control, taxiway reconstruction.
These investments have helped increase trade: cargo weights have increased
60% since 1998, from 45 million pounds to 72 million pounds in 2000.
Brownsville has programmed a CIP for fiscal years 1999-2003 totaling over $23
million for airfield infrastructure and facility improvements directly benefiting air
xviii.