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The project’s goal is to mitigate truck traffic, which now requires long waits at the U.S.-Mexico international border. (Green Corridors)

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President Donald Trump has approved a massive project allowing a private investment group to construct, maintain and operate a commercial elevated guideway crossing at the international U.S. border with Mexico in Laredo, Texas.

The permit, , calls for an elevated guideway and bridge over the Rio Grande, which connects inland terminals near Monterrey, Mexico, in the state of Nuevo Leon and near Interstate 35, north of Laredo.

The project, known as , will be funded by private capital. It will not require public funds or tax dollars.

The project’s goal is to mitigate truck traffic, which now requires long waits at the U.S.-Mexico international border.

It will provide a faster, more cost-effective and secure transport option. “By reducing idle time, drivers can focus on moving goods instead of waiting at the border,” the investor group said.

The agreement requires the investment group to provide to the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the Department of ������ýland Security and the heads of any other relevant agencies, at no cost to the United States, suitable inspection facilities, infrastructure improvements, equipment and maintenance, as set forth in the agreement. Nothing in the permit obligates the government agencies to provide a particular level of services or staffing for the inspection facilities or for any other aspect of the port of entry associated with the border facilities.

(Tilted Chair via Vimeo)

This permit shall expire five years from the date of its issuance “if the permittee has not commenced construction of the border facilities by that date.”

The investors said that by segregating freight from ordinary traffic, the system will drive sustainable economic development, enable urban expansion, and transform bottlenecks into free-flowing corridors of the future.

“Green Corridors’ intelligent freight transportation system offers a solution at Port Laredo that will benefit future generations to come by reducing congestion, bypassing gridlocked areas and increasing border security,” the investment group wrote. “We’re pioneering the future of freight with low-emission autonomous shuttles navigating congested corridors on dedicated elevated guideways. This groundbreaking approach bypasses congestion and integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructure, redefining efficiency in freight transportation.

“Precisely aligned with U.S. foreign policy goals, this project avoids eminent domain issues, prevents neighborhood encroachment and enhances community safety by relocating inspections and keeping hazardous traffic out of urban areas.”

The Intelligent Freight Transportation System significantly enhances border security while eliminating wait times for cross-border freight. The system scans 100% of freight entering the country and facilitates faster inspection times, while seamlessly integrating with Customs and Border Protection protocols.

The current Laredo crossing is one of four freight routes in Texas that connect Texas and Mexico. Additional crossings are in Brownsville, Eagle Pass and El Paso. The Brownsville crossing opened in 2015.

A key rail route that connects Texas to Mexico opened last year after Canadian Pacific Kansas City unveiled the new Patrick J. Ottensmeyer International Railway Bridge in December.

Construction on the 1,150-foot-long bridge, which spans the Rio Grande between Laredo and the Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo, began Oct. 31, 2022, ended Dec. 17, 2024, and cost $100 million. It’s the second international railway connecting Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, expected to double freight capacity over the Rio Grande.